The Harvest Moon Murders
by Hitomi Zotz
Summary: 7 girls are killed under mysterious circumstances at a sleepover. 1 year on the case remains unsolved but there are more victims and disturbing evidence towards demons. Is a cult at work? Horatio thinks it could be more sinister than that and a type of serial killer he and his team are all too familiar with. Can he keep his team and himself safe from this and their own dark pasts?
1. Prologue

_The sequel to Wonderland Murders and Suburban Legends!_

Amanda Delacroix flinched slightly when a brief flash of white light sneaked through the gaps in the blinds followed by a loud rumble. The storm had finally reached them. She shook off her fear with a smile as she wavered in the hallway at the heavy mahogany door that led into the living room. Amanda's daughter Madison was having a sleepover and at the moment she and six other girls were behind the mahogany door in the living room and the conservatory probably having a good giggle at the storm and exchanging bad ghost stories. Deciding that her daughter probably wouldn't appreciate a disturbance, Amanda turned from the door.

The forty-year-old headed down the corridor and to the right, moving through her large house towards the kitchen. She decided the best thing to do would be to check the back door and the front door, and then head upstairs to a movie and bed. She shook her head scornfully when another rumble sounded out, closer again and longer too, she was certain the wretched storm was right above her house.

"I hope the frigging electric doesn't go out," she grumbled to herself as she reached the glass door to the kitchen. She jumped and let out a curse as the lightning flashed again and she made out a disturbing silhouette. She flicked out the light in haste and let out a nervous giggle as she realised what had looked like a person was in fact just one of the stools with an ill placed coat hanging off it. "Idiot," she chided herself as she stepped onto the blue tiles and hurried to the patio doors. She frowned seeing the back light on, well it was windy out there, the stupid sensors had probably just been triggered by something in the storm, or an animal. She pressed her face against the glass and looked out anyway, just in case.

The pool was frothing noisily as the wind churned up some ripples and the rain beat off it angrily. One of the deckchairs was on its side, yep that was probably what had triggered the light, and the grass was already soaked and threatening to turn muddy.

There was a low creak and suddenly every hair stood upright on Amanda's skin as she clenched the door handle of the patio door tightly. Turn and look, or press down the handle and flee? She tensed and dared to glance over her shoulder and look. "Smokey!" she chided her cat with a smile of relief.

The grey Burmese looked up at her with questioning yellow eyes before the feline pushed at the door again and slinked into the kitchen with a purr.

"You're not getting out," she warned before she tugged down the handle, locked. "And apparently I already locked this door and wasn't going to be making a quick getaway," she grumbled. She then flicked off the outside light; certain it would only keep her up, and then drew the curtains.

The cat gave a meow, loud and demanding, prompting the woman to place her hands on her hips and frown mockingly in response. "Alright, alright, catnip, I get it," Amanda murmured as she threw her hands out in despair before heading to the cat's ceramic dish. She picked it up and moved into the utility room, flicking on the light in there and grabbing a box of cat biscuits from one of the shelves. She filled the bowl, hit off the light, exited the room, and placed the dish back down on the mat in the kitchen.

"Tuck in you greedy thing," Amanda advised her cat as it brushed up against her right leg with a satisfied purr. She pushed back a strand of thin, golden blonde hair and headed out of the kitchen, turning off the light as she did.

Back down through the hall, past the living room door, and then left to the front of the house. She paused suddenly as the lightning flashed once more as she spied another silhouette ahead. She guessed this one was the coat hanger as her fingers reached for the light switch. Her fingertips missed as another rumble of thunder sounded ominously overhead. The silhouette moved, turning its shadowy form in her direction.

* * *

In the living room of the Delacroix household seven girls who should have been watching bad movies and exchanging high school gossip were instead playing a very dangerous game. They sat at a round, polished, walnut table beneath a gold and crystal chandelier on walnut seats with blood red cushions. Hostess Madison sat at the north, her back to the unlit conservatory, green eyes burning with mischief and a wicked smile on her fair face, to her right was equally blonde and beautiful Tiffany Grayson, and to her left was Selena Ortega. Directly opposite Madison was the copper haired Georgia Blackwood and on either side of Georgia were the dark haired twins Melinda and Jennifer Valdez. Finally, Holly Corbeau sat between Melinda and Tiffany, glancing uncomfortably towards the television, which was on but muted.

In the centre of the table was something all the girls had heard of but never seen tonight, something Madison had introduced as a 'fun game'. It was an Ouija board, made of wood with large, intricately inked letters in black, and a magnifying glass in a black triangular piece. The framework looked old and expensive with carvings of the watchful eye, and Holly fully suspected that Madison had not just stumbled across this 'game' by chance.

"It's just a bit of fun," Madison insisted as she lifted her champagne flute and twirled it about in her left hand carelessly. She had opened the wooden globe of expensive glasses and drinks half an hour ago, insisting her mother would never know and that it would liven up the party. Several glasses and two opened bottles of champagne also sat on the table along with a bowl of chips; it dampened the creepy image of the Ouija board enough for Melinda to forgo any fear, grin and shrug.

"It's bullshit," Tiffany stated bluntly.

There was a flash of lightning and a rumble above causing the girls to go into a minor hysteria of laughter.

"It is a great night for it," Selena remarked with more enthusiasm.

"Oh come on," Tiffany complained between gulps of champagne, "we all know it's not a demon, it's the people operating the stupid thing."

"It could still be fun," Selena mused. "Alright, I'm game."

"I don't know," Holly said with a nervous glance to the dark conservatory. She could hear the rain beating against its glass walls but she couldn't see anything and it made her anxious to have the unlit room so near.

"Don't be a coward," Madison chided with a taunting stare. "Let's have one game, everyone, hands on the glass."

"Don't we need candles or something?" Jennifer quipped with a smirk.

"Like the storm isn't atmosphere enough," Selena retorted sardonically.

The girls burst into laughter again when there was another flash of lightning and a loud rumble.

"Okay," Jennifer gave in as she placed the edge of the fingers on her right hand down first. "One game."

The girls all leaned forward to touch the edges of the triangle except Holly. "Everyone Holly," Madison ordered with a cool stare, "don't be a baby."

Holly sighed before she moved, better get over and done with then.

"So how does this work anyway?" Tiffany queried with a bored stare. "How do we summon it?"

Holly let out a squeal when the piece started to move.

The other girls laughed. "I," Selena called out excitedly. "A, M," the piece moved rapidly, "A, L, R, E, shit guys, someone should be writing this!"

"A, D, Y," Georgia continued with an astute stare, "H, E, R, E."

"Wait, what?" Selena queried with an intrigued look.

Tiffany yawned dramatically. "Bullshit," she repeated.

"I am already here," Georgia spelled out the letters.

Holly turned white as Jennifer murmured sardonically, "well that saves time. Hey Madison did you know your living room was haunted or possessed? Is this for ghosts or demons?"

Madison gave a hungry grin as she leaned closer to the board. "Why are you already here?" she queried curiously.

"T," all the girls except Holly and Tiffany started calling out the letters as the glass moved, "O, K, I, L, L."

"Stop it you guys!" Holly protested as her eyes went wide and she started to quiver. "This isn't funny."

"D, I, E." The glass suddenly started moving over the three letters repetitively.

The chandelier let out a loud crack as the power failed and the room was plunged into darkness. Everyone screamed and tried to flee from the table.

It was Holly who looked to the conservatory as the lightning flashed. She felt her legs turn damp as she saw several eerie faces pressed against the glass in that one brief moment. The girl let out a bloodcurdling scream as she heard the glass break.

* * *

Detective Ridley Moon glanced at the body in the hall with a grimace. Normally she wasn't squeamish having witnessed and experienced firsthand most if not all of the horrors the world could dish out but with a baby gradually growing within her she didn't always seem to have control of her guts anymore. She was dressed casually for her, flat shoes, which she had endured relentless teasing about for the past month, a loose, white shirt and grey trousers with a matching jacket that was currently in the car.

"I thought this was a robbery gone wrong," her partner, Detective Angelo Sanchez, said bitingly as he looked at the brown haired policeman accusingly.

The uniform shrugged. "Rich residents, maid found the body and called the police, we came and it looked like things had been stolen. It gets worse in the living room apparently."

"Apparently?" Ridley quipped, earning an extra glance from the uniform as her thick New Yorker's accent slipped out. She glanced up from her camera to look at the police officer curiously. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know, I haven't been in there," he confessed.

Ridley and Angelo exchanged a look. Angelo tugged off his brown hat and sighed with a shake of his head. "This is meant to be a simple homicide case," he grumbled. "Sorry Ridley."

"It's okay," she murmured, "it's my last one anyway, remember?"

He gave a small smile and nodded before placing his hat back on, hiding his neatly clipped sable hair. "Yeah, then it's desk work, I'm going to miss you."

Ridley smiled back before taking a couple more shots of the body. Amanda Delacroix a wealthy, divorced homeowner lay in a bloody mess on the bottom of her staircase. There was a lot of dried blood pooled beneath her, staining the peach carpet an ugly brown but it was difficult to tell what had actually killed her. Everything about the body's positioning suggested she had been cut down while trying to flee upstairs.

"Should we investigate the living room then?" Angelo queried as he looked at his partner with a glimmer of excitement in his green eyes. "Before the CSIs come and have all the fun."

"Sure thing," Ridley murmured with less eagerness in her voice.

"Down the hall to the right," the policeman advised as he pointed.

Ridley and Angelo headed down the hall and right to another hall, which had two policemen standing up ahead at an open doorway. "Living room I'm guessing," Ridley murmured as they moved forward.

One policeman, stern faced and grey haired, looked at them sharply, anger blazing in his blue eyes. "You the detectives?" he barked at them.

Ridley and Angelo nodded in answer. "Detective Sanchez and Moon," Angelo introduced.

"I'm Officer Brooks. Twenty-five years I've been on the force," he informed them bluntly, "and I've never seen anything like what's in there. It's beyond understanding."

Ridley nodded again as she burned with curiosity and just a flicker of caution. To her a lot of things were beyond understanding and after all she had gone through she found it quite believable that people were capable of anything no matter how shocking and dark it might seem.

Ridley stepped into the room first and filled with momentary confusion as she took in the scene. "Robbery gone wrong huh?" she queried dryly as she finally found her voice after a moment of stunned silence.

Seven bodies, all girls, and all sitting around a table, their faces down and one hand pressed against a circular glass piece in a black triangle. Drip, drip, drip. Ridley's eyes hardened as she realised that was the sound of blood dripping, from one girl's limp hand and another's leg. Drip, drip, drip, it was a horrid, repetitive sound as the tiny, telltale blood drops fell onto the wooden floor.

"We've only positively identified one," a pallid faced policeman informed the detectives as he stepped up to them. "The blonde with her back to the conservatory, Madison Delacroix, the rest are her friends but we haven't got names yet. Maid says she was having a sleepover."

"And summoning the dead is what you do at a sleepover?" Ridley queried in disbelief as she took a step towards the table and suppressed a shudder. There were several bloodstains on the floor along with pentagrams and quotes in Latin that she couldn't decipher, all painted in blood. One of the glass conservatory doors had been smashed, paintings were missing, ornaments had been broken, and the television screen was cracked. Nail marks on the table, and on the wall as well as blood spatters against the cream wallpaper and on the door suggested a struggle. "They didn't die at that table," Ridley commented coldly.

"Eight bodies," Detective Sanchez remarked angrily as he glowered at the officers, "why the hell did no one say? One homicide in a suspected robbery, does this look like a robbery?! Does it?!"

The male officer who had addressed them shook his head nervously and took a step back.

Ridley sighed as she suppressed a twinge of nausea. This wasn't exactly the kind of case she wanted to finish on. "Let's...let's look around," she murmured wearily.

It was just thirty minutes later that Miami's crime scene investigators arrived to process the scene, and they were only slightly better informed about the crime than the detectives. For so many bodies Lieutenant Horatio Caine had decided to bring his whole team though it was tight given their schedules for the day.

Whilst the medical examiner Dr. Alexx Woods set up base in the hall to study the first body alongside fingerprint expert Eric Delko and his girlfriend, ballistics specialist Calleigh Duquesne, Lieutenant Caine continued on into the living room alongside traces expert Tim Speedle.

Tim struggled over the scene when they entered the living room, his mind unsure what to process first. Ridley's grey-brown eyes widened just a little as she saw the rage begin to dance in his brown eyes; she knew exactly what he was getting angry about. Tim was her boyfriend and ever since discovering she was pregnant just two months ago he had become determined to see her safely away from the madness of Miami's bloody crime scenes and into a desk job.

Tim knew it seemed like he was putting down Ridley's own ability to protect herself but that wasn't it, it was just that she had become too heavily linked in weird cases, and though she didn't know it, it was that very link that had led to her own kidnapping and torture by a psychopath, and Tim didn't ever want to risk a repeat of that. As far as he was concerned if Ridley was out of the weird then she was safe.

"Ridley what the hell are you doing here?" Tim demanded. "This is not a typical homicide!" He turned from her to her partner with an accusing stare. "Sanchez she's going to admin, what the fuck were you were thinking bringing her here?"

"Language Speed," Horatio chided as he surveyed the scene with more calm than anyone else had. Six feet tall with skin unusually fair for Miami and a crop of golden auburn hair, the lieutenant was a hard man to miss, a fact he found highly advantageous in his position as lieutenant.

Angelo held up his hands in mock defence. "I'm sorry Speedle," he said sincerely, "they told us it was a robbery gone wrong, one body, that's all we knew. We wouldn't have taken the case otherwise."

"It's true Tim," Ridley said as she stepped forward and gave him a calming stare.

Tim sighed angrily and shook his head. "Ridley this stinks of weird shit," he grumbled, "it's the last thing you need."

"And it's the last thing I'll be doing," she reminded him with a reassuring look. "I'm at the desk from tomorrow onwards."

"You should be there already," the dark haired man complained as he continued to frown.

She nodded as her gaze turned tender and retorted softly, "I know but we've no staff." She left it unspoken the reason for that. Just a few months ago she, Calleigh, Eric and Detective Yelina Salas had become caught up with the cartel in Miami. It had been a messy and tragic business which had led to Ridley being taken to Vegas on a case with Horatio and Tim to get her away from Miami, and Calleigh, Eric and Yelina being ambushed at a cafe when trying to get a key witness out of the city. Yelina had been shot there and later succumbed to blood poisoning leaving her son, Horatio's nephew, an orphan. She had died shortly after a bloody assault on the beach by the SWAT with Calleigh and Eric that had seen several officers and Eric taken to hospital with serious injuries. After all that drama a lot of officers had moved on to something less dangerous and applications for the force were less than usual. It didn't help that the budgets had been slashed yet again.

Tim turned to Detective Sanchez with another glower and snarled, "a word in the hall Sanchez."

"Tim it's not his fault," Ridley protested.

"I know," Tim grunted, "but I'd still like a word."

"It's okay," Angelo retorted before he headed towards the living room doorway.

Tim followed after him and then led the way up the corridor, putting a bit of distance between them and the waiting officers. "I don't want her name linked to this Sanchez," Tim addressed the detective sternly. He tried to look fierce but he couldn't keep his worry from his brown eyes.

"Me either Speedle," Angelo answered calmly, "and if I could keep her name out of it I would."

"I know," Tim grumbled, "just...you be the lead detective, okay?"

Angelo nodded reassuringly. "I will, my name will be first on all the paperwork and I'll only mention her when necessary. Look, I really am sorry about this, I had no freaking idea there were seven dead kids, and with an Ouija board of all things, the press will go nuts."

"That's the problem," Tim grumbled. "Detective Moon investigating weird shit all over again...it makes them dredge up all the old stuff and she doesn't need that again."

"It won't come to that Speedle," Angelo insisted. "She's going to a desk job tomorrow, it will be okay, I'll lead the case and they will assign someone else to work on it with me."

"Right, thanks," Tim grumbled before he led the way back into the living room.

"Everything sorted Speed?" Horatio queried lightly.

"Yes H," Tim assured.

"Good, let's start processing the scene then, it's going to be a long day," the redhead murmured.

Detectives Moon and Sanchez remained for another hour before finally leaving the CSIs with their work. The scene made everyone uneasy, the setting of a game designed to contact the dead was just creepy and seven murdered teenagers was horribly tragic. Even when the blood finally stopped dripping that didn't help as it just resulted in an eerie silence.

* * *

Six-thirty, Tim Speedle didn't think he had ever been so glad to see the end of a day. It was just a pity it was only going to be the start of a long night. Today was moving day after all. He sat on one of his sloppily packed boxes, tugged out a cigarette, lit it and then looked over at his motorbike with a frown. All of his pleasures right here in one moment, soon to be banished. No more bachelor pad, it was ridiculous thinking he wouldn't live with Ridley when she had his baby so the house had to go, no more cigarettes, that would be completely irresponsible around the baby, and no more motorbike because how could one transport a baby on that?

Eric, Calleigh, Horatio, Raymond Junior, and Ridley were all inside helping him pack up and move to his and Ridley's new home. Since Ridley had only been renting it seemed logical enough for them to buy a house together. A logical step, a hard, stressful and life changing step, one Tim hadn't expected to make for at least another four or five years but the baby was coming and that was it. Sure there was another seven months to go but suddenly that didn't really seem all that far away.

He hunched forward slightly, cigarette limp in his left hand as he continued staring at his shiny, black bike. He hadn't even had the thing long, Ridley cheerfully called it 'a death machine', Eric jested that it was a sign of a breakdown, and Horatio had sadly hit home by commenting that someday he would need something with doors. Speed had thought he would have plenty of time for that, plenty of time before getting a car again, plenty of time before taking his relationship with Ridley to the next level by moving in with her, and plenty of time before he even had to think about parenthood.

Ridley stepped out onto the driveway quietly and spotted Tim sitting on a box hunched over and looking at his bike glumly. She filled with guilt; ever since she had entered his life she had turned it upside down. First involving him and the others in a case that had seen her best friend murdered, and herself and Eric tortured. Then entering an on and off relationship with the traces expert that had started dubiously enough with her using him out of fear, and then seen her freezing him out because of her issues over the torture she had suffered, and unfairly denying him a normal relationship. Then, after dealing with Tim getting shot, his own drama and feelings of inadequacy and guilt, and the admission of his questionable past with a married co-worker, another serial killer and drama in both Miami and Vegas they had finally seemed to make progress only for things to get flipped again with Ridley's news that she was pregnant. She knew it wasn't entirely her fault, Tim took just as much responsibility and yet she still felt bad about the scenario.

The detective's heart sank as she watched him, everything had to change, and sometimes it felt like the change just wouldn't stop. He was losing his home, his solitude and his peace; yes so was she but then Ridley had always had issues with solitude whilst Tim had definitely embraced it. If anyone enjoyed the bachelor's life it was Tim.

She finally approached him, her footsteps barely audible on the concrete. "You can keep the bike you know," she said softly.

Tim turned up to her with a warm glance; of course he had heard her approaching. "No I can't," he murmured, "but it's okay."

"No Tim, keep the bike," she insisted, "we can share my car."

Tim's brown eyes widened at this. "Really? Share your car," he remarked dubiously, "you sure about that? You love that car and you hate my driving, and the bike," he reminded her.

"I'm sure," she insisted with a small smile, "you've already made a lot of sacrifices over...this," she finished awkwardly as she glanced down at the barely there bump in her stomach, "don't make anymore."

Tim dropped his cigarette, stood up and stubbed it out with his right shoe before stepping up to Ridley and hugging her close. "I'm moving in with you," he murmured as he nuzzled into her dark hair, "that is not a sacrifice Ridley, it's a good thing. Now come on, let's go inside before Speedbump gets cold."

Ridley smiled at the nickname even as she shook her head. "I'm still not okay with calling them that."

"Well we don't know what it is yet," Tim reminded her as he wrapped an arm over her shoulders and led her back towards the open front door, "and we can't call it...it, just seems impersonal."

"Still, Speedbump, really?" Ridley retorted doubtfully.

"Speedle take two? Speedle junior?" Tim suggested teasingly as they stepped into the hall.

"No and no," Ridley answered flatly as she turned into the now almost bare living room in time to catch Eric and Calleigh in a compromising embrace.

"In my living room again," Tim remarked loudly and sardonically with an unimpressed stare. "Hmm might be good to get a new couch," he murmured as he looked at Ridley, "and get away from the taint."

"Hey!" Eric protested with a laugh even as Calleigh flustered to compose herself with a blush. "It will make for a good story."

"Oh I can imagine," Tim murmured with a roll of his eyes, "here Speedle squared, this was once a beautiful couch until daddy's co-workers soiled it."

"Speedle squared?" Calleigh echoed with a questioning look as she swept her now messy hair up into a loose ponytail.

"Co-workers?" Eric repeated with a frown. "I think you mean Uncle Eric and Aunt Calleigh."

"You know I do have a brother," Tim reminded him dryly.

"Alright, favourite Uncle Eric," Eric corrected as his grin widened. "Come on, you should be nicer to us, pretty soon you will be pleading for us to babysit."

"Oh I can't wait for that!" the blonde cried out as she clapped her hands together ecstatically. "If it's a girl I can braid her hair and talk about ponies."

"Ponies, on my salary," Tim retorted with a wilting stare, "and guess who's not minding the baby without supervision."

"Um Calleigh I think it's nappy changing and bottle feeding before braiding hair and ponies," Eric reminded her teasingly even as he smiled at her and embraced her loosely around the waist with one hand.

Ridley smiled even as she paled. 'Braid her hair,' she thought numbly, 'wow I just keep thinking of having a baby not having a child, with all that to go through, nappy changing, bottle feeding, school, and clothes and hair, and ponies.' She suddenly felt dizzy as a cold sweat beaded at her brow.

"You okay Ridley?" Eric queried with a worried glance. "Speedbump alright?"

"I'm fine," she assured as she waved her left hand loosely, "just tired I think."

Tim gripped her hand and said, "come on to the kitchen, there are still seats there."

"And the kettle," Calleigh enthused, "I'll make you some tea."

"It's alright," Ridley protested even as Tim turned her to the living room doorway and started leading her up the corridor.

In the kitchen they found Horatio sealing up another box with Raymond Junior who was wrapping up glasses in newspaper. Raymond Junior was Horatio's ten-year-old nephew, the son of his later brother Raymond and the late Yelina Salas. Ordinarily Raymond probably would have complained of boredom and not bothered helping but Tim was Raymond's favourite person, probably because, as Eric often joked, Tim was wholly irresponsible and let Raymond do whatever he wanted when he had the misfortune to mind him.

Horatio paused and looked at the four with a small smile as Calleigh hurried to the kettle. "Another break?" he queried wryly. "Has anyone apart from me done any packing?"

"Well I did try to pack a lamp but after it broke Speed said I could only observe," Eric pointed out.

"It was a good lamp," Tim grumbled as he gave his friend a disapproving glower.

"I believe you broke the television," Eric reminded him. "Honestly, you're so clumsy Speed; I don't think Ridley should let you carry Speedbump for a few months, not unless they're in a layer of bubble wrap."

Ridley giggled even as Tim's scowl deepened. "He'll be fine," Ridley assured as she sat on one of the black swivel stools. She frowned as her legs dangled in the air with no bar to rest her feet on as it had long since been broken off and discarded. "These aren't coming," she murmured.

"As long as you got rid of that creepy bunny clock," Tim retorted as he leaned against the breakfast bar.

"Creepy bunny clock?" Eric queried with an intrigued look.

"It always watches you," Tim answered cryptically as he folded his arms.

"That's just the mechanics," Ridley chided. She looked at Eric and explained, "the eyes move with the pendulum."

"And the ears, the thing is possessed," Tim grumbled.

"The ears perk up every hour," Ridley alluded.

"Hmm an evil bunny entity, I like it," Eric enthused.

"Well you can have it," Tim muttered.

Calleigh presented Ridley with a cup of black, sugary tea before giving an apologetic smile. "Sorry, there's no milk or coffee."

"That's okay, thanks," Ridley retorted with a grin as she accepted the cup.

"Well, last time in here I suppose," Tim murmured wistfully as he glanced about the almost empty kitchen.

Ridley gripped his right hand with her left and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"It will be good to get away from the smell," Eric commented cheerfully.

They talked for a few more minutes until the moving van arrived for the last of Tim's possessions. Tim watched it go with a wistful look as Calleigh and Horatio bundled the remaining items into their cars. As they all stood in the driveway Ridley opened her handbag and tugged out a small, red camera. "Let's get a photo," she suggested to Tim, "one last moment with your house." She moved to take the photo but Tim gripped her hand and held her back.

"I want you and Speedbump in the photo," he said with a smile, "then I can look at the photo and remind myself that it's just a house and all that matters are you two."

Ridley smiled back as Calleigh made an 'aww' sound and enthused, "for you Speed that's downright adorable." She took the camera from Ridley, switched it on and stepped back up the drive so that the house was fully in view. "Alright, smile guys you're moving in together!"

* * *

 _Well I said I was thinking about it, truthfully for a while. After I decided to do a sequel to Suburban Legends I imagined a trilogy, it just seemed fitting. Anyway, I hope to do more on Eric and Calleigh's relationship, and delve a bit more into everyone's pasts. I also plan to have some more of the show brought into this fic i.e characters etc._

 _As always please read and review!_


	2. Chapter 1- A Disturbed Sleep

Eric looked down at the sixteen months old girl stumbling across the living room floor merrily. Even now after holding and helping tend to this little being for just over a year now he still couldn't believe how good and natural it felt to be involved in her upbringing. Ellie Chris Speedle peered up at Eric with her father's dark brown eyes and let out a light giggle.

Eric laughed too. "Well at least you're not grumpy like your dad," he informed her brightly. He glanced up at the black clock on the mantelpiece; it was coming up to two in the afternoon. "Look at that El, Auntie Calleigh's going to be here soon."

Ellie let out another giggle. "Cal Cal," she said happily.

"Yes, that is good news," Eric answered before he lifted her up and wrinkled his nose. "Very good news," he murmured even as he recoiled slightly at the smell. He turned to the living room window as he heard a car nearing and filled with relief as he saw Calleigh's red car pulling up. "Good timing," he commented joyfully as he carried the baby out of the living room to the front door.

Calleigh smiled as Eric opened the door to her, her grin widened at the sight of the smiling Ellie until the smell of a full nappy reached her. "Still not learned to change nappies Eric?" she quipped with a shake of her head, causing her long blonde waves to swish light over her shoulders. "And how long has poor Ellie been needing a change?"

"Cal Cal," Ellie answered chirpily.

Eric had the grace to look bashful at he smiled back at his girlfriend. He could smell her flowery perfume even over the odour of Ellie's soiled nappy, this time it was orange and jasmine, the perfume he had bought her for her birthday. "Only a minute or two," Eric retorted as he stepped back to let Calleigh in.

"When did Speed leave?" Calleigh queried as she closed the door behind her and followed Eric back into the living room where she set down her bags.

"Speedy!" Ellie cried out as she clapped her hands and laughed.

"Just half an ago," Eric retorted as he stifled a laugh and handed Ellie over to Calleigh's waiting arms. "And Ridley has managed to phone twice," he added.

"First day back at full-time case work," Calleigh murmured down to Ellie, "that's got to be hard on your mummy. Well, let's get you changed and prove to mummy that other people can take care of you full time and she doesn't have to feel so guilty for going back to being a detective CSI outside the office." She headed to the bathroom leaving Eric to tidy up the living room a little.

There was evidence of Ellie everywhere, toys, games, teddies and clothes, many of them gifts from friends and Ridley's Uncle Chris. There were some from Tim's parents too but Tim's relationship with them was tense at best as they had nothing but disapproval for Ridley and his relationship with her.

Eric looked at the collection of framed photographs on the wall, in a set of frames Calleigh had bought Ridley for her first house in Miami. He gave a pained smile at the group photograph from Ridley's birthday two years ago; it was a wonderful group photo but also a painful reminder of Yelina who had attended the party as Horatio's date. He noted Justin Silver too, Ridley's late partner from New York, and her deceased best friend Ruby, and his smile curved down into a frown as he thought of how many people they had all lost. Still, they were good photos and it amused him to see Justin as he could only imagine how hard it was for Tim to pretend the blonde detective's smirking face didn't bother him. He had to grin at the photographs of Ridley's prom on the beach, it wasn't her and Tim's first date really or his and Calleigh's, and yet the four of them for some reason privately viewed it as such. Eric thought that night was the turning point for all of them, the moment when they realised it was time to risk committing or give up and always wonder about the potential of their relationships.

Naturally photos of Ellie dominated the room; there was one of her newly born and in her proud father's arms, another of the three of them together, and one of her in a beaming Calleigh's arms with Eric standing beside the blonde with his arm about her waist.

Calleigh returned a few minutes later with a sullen faced, crying baby. "She really doesn't like getting her diaper changed," the blonde murmured as she rocked Ellie in her arms.

Eric laughed. "She definitely looks more like Speed when she frowns," he commented mockingly.

"Speedy," Ellie repeated again between frustrated wails.

Calleigh laughed at that too. "We'd better start calling him daddy around you," she murmured before placing her down in a rocker that was turned towards the television. "Let's see what we can find for you," she said she searched for the remote. Seeing the television, Ellie immediately ended her cries.

"Humpy dump! Humpy dump!" Ellie squealed excitedly.

"There's a DVD already in there," Eric explained as he crouched down before Ellie as she started to moan impatiently. He snatched a colourful ring that had bells inside it up off the floor and started shaking it before her with a smile. "Nursery rhymes, Speed said Ridley's started reciting them in her sleep now. Apparently there's nothing more horrifying that being woken up at three in the morning by someone crying because the dish ran away with the spoon."

Calleigh nodded sympathetically as she finally found the remote and turned the television on. "The joys of parenthood," she murmured as Ellie cooed and blew her tongue excitedly.

"I don't know, I think it's all worth it," Eric mused as Ellie giggled at him. "I mean she's an amazing kid, so full of personality already."

"Yes she is," Calleigh agreed as she flicked on the DVD player and hit play, "but it's all well and good for us, we don't have her twenty-four, seven, parenting is hard work."

"I know," Eric agreed, "but I'd still like kids one day."

"Yeah me too," the blonde agreed with a soft smile as she sat on the couch.

Eric handed Ellie the ring, his grin widened as she shook it wildly and laughed happily as it jingled. He then stood up and headed over to Calleigh, sitting close beside her.

* * *

Detective Moon looked around the room calmly, there was blood congealing on the floor, two messy beds, objects scattered on the floor that could indicate a struggle or simply untidiness, and, most curiously of all, a large, bloody handprint on the window. What was most puzzling about the handprint was not the carelessness of it but the fact that it was on the outside and they were on the second floor of the house which had no balcony or window ledge.

The thirty-one-year-old looked to her partner Detective Sanchez curiously and commented dryly, "so how did that print get all the way up here?"

Sanchez shrugged as he glanced about the room sceptically. "Let the CSIs figure that out," he murmured. "Why can't crime be straight forward these days? Enough blood to suggest a murder but no body and our only witness won't talk to us and told her parents a monster did it."

"Someone breaks into a house in the middle of the night, hurts a girl enough to make her lose pints of blood and then kidnaps her," Ridley summed up coldly, "that sounds like a monster to me."

Detective Sanchez looked at her oddly, she had a dark expression in her sunken eyes and yet he knew she was glad to be here, having admitted to missing detecting work. He wondered if she missed the CSI aspect as much, that was something he had never understood, to him the police work was where the fun was, not the confusing science nonsense. "Is the handprint a mistake or a red herring?" he pondered.

"Or the victim's?" Ridley queried as she continued to study it. "How did she lose so much blood right here and her parents weren't alerted?"

"They don't know when it happened; they say the victim, Annabelle, was in bed by nine-thirty, they were downstairs watching a movie, with surround sound, until after eleven. Mrs Warwick says they came up shortly after that, the girls' door was ajar, the light was off and she heard heavy breathing so she assumed they were sleeping peacefully and went to bed. They didn't know anything was amiss until eight o'clock this morning when neither of the girls appeared for breakfast," Angelo explained.

Ridley frowned. "Could be true but it seems neglectful not to actually check in on your daughters, I mean the youngest is only six."

Angelo gave her a teasing smile. "Is that the mother in you talking?" he quipped mockingly.

Ridley's frown deepened as she gave him a moody look, she had gotten tired of the teasing at her desk job when she had pulled out nursery rhyme books instead of notes and had to dart off one morning because she had accidently brought Ellie's favourite toy to work and knew her daughter wouldn't settle without it. "Maybe," she grumbled, "but it is a valid point." She snapped a few photographs with her black Fuji before giving the window a closer inspection. "That lock was definitely forced in," she murmured before taking another photo.

"Well do you want to have a go interviewing the parents? See if you learn something new?" Angelo queried wearily.

"Sure."

They exited the room, abandoning the primary crime scene to head downstairs. On route they passed a small Christmas tree standing on the landing, and a banister with red tinsel wrapped about it. Ridley frowned, it was only a few weeks until Christmas and if this girl didn't show up alive she knew this family wouldn't be celebrating. She was going to have to get the decorations out at home, she was so tired though and she and Tim kept working different shifts and used the excuse that Ellie was too young to care about it anyway to ignore the impending holiday. Now, presented with a family who might have unwittingly had their last Christmas together Ridley could understand how important it was to make the effort.

They reached the kitchen where a pallid Mr. Warwick, a tall, thin man, and his wife, a bloodshot eyed, blonde haired Mrs. Warwick sat. Daughter Violet was sitting on her mother's lap hunched up against her, head burrowed against her chest and hidden behind a tangle of white blonde hair.

"Mr and Mrs Warwick," Ridley addressed them politely. She took note of the untouched now cold cups of coffee resting on their stained oak table.

Mrs Warwick barely glanced at her whilst Mr Warwick nodded as his thin lips creased down into a frown. "More questions?" he queried coldly.

Ridley nodded. "I know it feels like we are badgering you but right now every minute counts and something you might not think matters could be vital for us to know. Look, just walk me through what happened from when you last saw Annabelle," she said calmly with a measure of sympathy in her tired grey-brown eyes.

The detective fumbled for a notepad, frowning at the pacifier and rattle she pushed through. A year and four months on and she was still completely disorganised and unable to separate her job from her parenting. She frowned to herself, shook off her scorn and tugged out a notepad and a chewed black pen.

"She went to her room around nine thirty," Mr Warwick answered wearily, "it was a school night after all."

"She probably didn't go to sleep right away," Mrs Warwick murmured tiredly as she continued to cradle Violet, "she is thirteen and she's always on her phone." She sighed heavily. "She always wanted her own room, she's at that age, she was so mad about sharing with Violet because Violet's so much younger." She shook her head in despair.

Ridley scribbled down a few notes as she nodded, she marked down 'ran away' with a question mark before glancing up at the unhappy couple again. "Right, so the last time you saw her was nine thirty?"

The pair exchanged a look before Mrs Warwick nodded. "We were watching a movie in the living room, it ended sometime after eleven and then we headed up to bed. I stopped outside the girls' room, the door was open, the lights were off and I was certain I could hear them sleeping. I didn't want to disturb them," she said desperately as she gave Ridley a sorrowful look, "I mean Violet's sensitive to the light and it's hard for Annabelle to get back to sleep if she's woken."

"Okay," Ridley retorted with a sympathetic gaze. "And there was nothing out of the ordinary at that point? No sounds you might have dismissed as something else?"

"No, our living room is at the back of the house," Mr Warwick explained, "the girls' room is at the front, and we had the surround sound on so if there was something to hear..." He sighed and muttered a curse. "We wouldn't have heard it, we couldn't have," he finished quietly.

"I should have opened the door," Mrs Warwick wailed as tears trickled down her eyes, "I should have!"

Violet suddenly started sobbing too drawing Ridley's attention to her. She approached her slowly, wary of Mrs. Warwick's disapproving glower. "Violet," Ridley addressed her softly, "can I talk to you too?"

"She's in shock," Mr Warwick said flatly.

"I understand," Ridley said as she continued facing Violet, lowering herself to a crouch so she was more level with her, "and I do, I've been through a terrible scare before, when someone who shouldn't have been in my house was. I know how much that's frightened you Violet and I know you're terrified they will come back but I promise that won't happen because we're involved now and we will keep you safe."

Mr Warwick looked on in scorn whilst Detective Sanchez folded his arms and shook his head disapprovingly. Sanchez wondered what Ridley was alluding to, he faintly recalled her being trailed through the mud over her roommate becoming a victim of the Suburban Legends killer and wondered if she meant that or when she herself had been taken. Sanchez didn't know the entirety of that story, no one in the force really did especially since Lieutenant Caine had made a huge effort to quash the details. All he knew about it was that it was now three years past and every year around that time she took the day off and according to rumour so did Detective Speedle, Lieutenant Caine, and Calleigh Duquesne and Eric Delko when they could manage it.

"I want to help get your sister back Violet," Ridley continued, "so do you think you could tell me what happened last night? Just once?"

Violet turned slowly to face Ridley with fear in her eyes that Ridley knew no child should possess. It horrified the detective to see it in a girl so young. She was white as snow, her brown eyes wide and red rimmed, and her lip trembling.

"I know it's hard," Ridley sympathised, "but I know you're brave too, much braver than I ever was at your age." She tugged off her gold Miami-Dade detective badge and held it out to her, it had worked once before with a young boy and she was hopeful it would work again. "This is a symbol of bravery you know," she explained with a small smile, "and I think you should hold it Violet because after what you went through last night you deserve it."

The young girl looked down at the badge mystified before reaching out a trembling hand for it. Once she grasped it she clutched it tightly to her chest and choked out, "it was a monster, I saw a monster." She burrowed her head back against her mother with a whimper.

"Okay," Ridley murmured, unnerved by the conviction with which the girl said the word 'monster'. "Thank you Violet," she added sincerely, "you were very brave telling me that. I'll leave you with your mother but I'm hoping in a while you can be brave again and tell me more about the monster." She stood up and gave the scowling Mrs Warwick a nod of thanks before querying, "did Annabelle have any enemies? Anyone who would want to hurt her?"

"Not that we know of," Mr Warwick retorted, "she has friends."

"Some people make fun of us being poor," Mrs Warwick complained, "but that's hardly hate is it? Just judgement," she snarled.

"And do either of you have any enemies?" Ridley pried.

"Enemies who would hurt and kidnap our daughter?" Mr Warwick snapped in disbelief as he glowered at Ridley.

"We have to consider all possibilities," Angelo spoke up at last as he took a step forward.

"Right," Mr Warwick grumbled as he shook his head angrily at the male detective. "Well no, no one who would do that."

"Meaning there is someone in mind?" Ridley queried. "Someone you would consider an enemy?"

"Doesn't everyone have enemies detectives?" Mr Warwick queried bitingly.

Ridley nodded. "Of course, look I know this is tough but the sooner we can rule out possibilities the better, so if you can provide us with names we can begin investigating."

"And what if it was a stranger?" Mrs Warwick queried savagely. "Some sick pervert or psycho? How will you find them then?"

"The evidence," Ridley answered reassuringly. "Now please, tell me of any enemies you might have."

* * *

It was just after five in the evening when an exhausted Ridley finally pulled up to her drive. She stepped out of her car and up to her door wearily. She unlocked it and headed up the hall, following the sound of the television into the living room. She smiled bitterly at the sight of Eric and Calleigh on the floor playing with Ellie, it was a delight to see of course but she felt bad that she wasn't the one playing with her daughter. The maternity leave had been so brief and whilst she had been lucky to have the option of a desk job to go back to for a year meaning more regular hours she still felt like she had missed out on a lot of her daughter's first year. Now here she was moving back to irregular shifts ensuring she would miss out on even more of Ellie's life but they needed the money badly and a selfish part of her did miss being out on the field and in the lab with the CSIs.

"Mama!" the sixteen month old suddenly squealed in delight before stamping her feet on the soft, grey carpet. "Mama!"

Ridley nodded as her smile widened and she sank to her knees and parted her arms, ready for the child crawling towards her. "I'm home Ellie," she said happily. She picked up her daughter when she reached her and hugged her close, breathing in the fresh smell of soap and daffodils that always seemed to cling to the young girl. "I missed you," she said sincerely.

"How was work?" Eric queried happily.

Ridley glanced up at them with a blush as she realised she was being rude. "Hi guys," she said sheepishly, "sorry, thanks for minding Ellie, I didn't mean to just ignore you there."

Calleigh laughed. "It's okay; we know we can't compete with a baby's cuteness, especially not Ellie."

"Work was...weird," Ridley confessed, "I guess it's only fitting for me."

"Weird?" Eric queried with a look of intrigue.

Ridley nodded. "A girl got taken from her house, from the second floor of her house where there's no balcony, no window ledge and not even a helpful drainpipe. There's enough blood at the scene to suggest she didn't leave alive and the only witness is her sister who's too traumatised to say anything except that a monster did it. We have the guys canvassing the neighbourhood to see if anyone noticed anything. I'm hoping the CSI will turn up something because so far I don't know...I'm stumped, I mean it's sloppy and yet it's not...blood at the scene, a handprint on a windowpane, the outside, and enough of a mess to indicate a struggle but the parents heard nothing, and I really don't think the handprint was a mistake, I don't even know how the hell it got there."

Ellie let out an impatient moan prompting Ridley to look back down at her with a smile. "I know, mummy's talking too much about work again."

"Speaking of CSI, when are you coming back to us Ridley?" Eric asked.

Calleigh looked at her hopefully, she knew Ridley was both reluctant and eager to get back to irregular, long shifts and dangerous, exciting field work but she really missed her friend's presence both out in the field and in the lab. It just wasn't the same without the detective even with a few recent additions to stop them from burning out with triple shifts. Horatio had had to pull a lot of strings to get the budget for staff but after Tim hadn't even see Ridley or Ellie in over forty-eight hours and Eric had been caught sleeping in the car park out of desperation, Horatio had pushed his superiors to cave, there was simply too much crime and not enough staff to keep on top of it in Miami.

"Soon I hope," Ridley confessed, "today was just to see how it went for me, Horatio and I agreed if I'm okay with the adjustments then I can join the CSI again at the end of the week." She lifted Ellie into the air and then down again several times with a smile prompting the toddler to giggle happily. "I need the money," she admitted with a sorrowful look at her friends.

Calleigh could see the dark circles under Ridley's eyes, Tim's were getting so bad Eric had nicknamed him 'raccoon man', the pair were definitely under a lot of stress and the blonde knew the changes in work weren't helping. Ridley was only just readjusting to new shifts and Tim loathed the man who had been brought in to help with his job duties when he had taken leave after Ellie's birth. Everyone knew Tim resented the fact that his 'temporary cover' was still very much around. Horatio had admitted to Calleigh that he hoped if Ridley rejoined them then she and Tim might actually see each other again because he knew their shifts were almost completely opposed lately.

What annoyed the blonde most, though she would never say it, was that Tim's family had really dropped the ball, they barely assisted with Ellie, hardly ever minding her and hadn't even shown up to see her until she was already a couple of weeks old.

It had been a rough time for the young family, Ridley had suffered postpartum depression, which had been made worse by the fact that she had tried and failed to breastfeed leaving her convinced that she was failing at being a mother and didn't have a bond with her child. It had gotten so bad that Ridley's Uncle Chris, the only family member of hers anyone knew about, had taken two weeks of leave to come up from Vegas to help with things. Calleigh had also taken leave to mind her friend, which had involved many moments in the middle of the night simply hugging a sobbing Ridley close and offering reassurances. Calleigh still couldn't believe that during those dark couple of months not once had any member of Tim's family made an appearance or offered help, even Horatio had taken a few days off to help mind Ellie just so Tim could wash, sleep and feel slightly normal again.

"Well I hope it is soon," Calleigh enthused as she stepped up to her friend with a warm smile.

Ridley nodded without looking at her friend as she was now scanning the living room with uncertainty as Ellie started to cry. 'A drink? A toy? Food?' Ridley pondered desperately. Having not been here for most of the day she didn't know when her daughter had last been fed or changed. Well her nappy didn't feel heavy or smell, was she tired?

Calleigh saw the guilt beginning to build in Ridley's eyes as they darted about the room and she knew what her friend was thinking. "I forgot to say, Ellie had a nap earlier and I changed her but we didn't feed her, I thought you'd want to give her dinner."

Ridley gave her friend a look of gratitude as she nodded. "Right, dinner, of course." She smiled at Ellie once more. "Din-dins, right Ellie?"

The baby looked at her mother curiously before continuing to wail.

"Right," Ridley murmured again. "I'll walk you guys to the door, thanks again for minding her; really, you don't know how much it means."

"Anytime Ridley," Eric said gently as he watched her with slight concern.

"We don't have to go," Calleigh remarked quickly. She glanced at Eric and said, "I mean we don't have plans."

Ridley gave her an odd look. "I thought you guys were going out tonight."

"Nope," Calleigh lied with a sweet smile and a shake of her head.

Eric quashed his annoyance as he saw Ridley glance to Ellie and then to the open doorway, the woman did look a little frazzled and he knew he would feel bad leaving.

"Why don't I help with dinner?" Calleigh offered.

"No," Ridley answered sharply before giving her friend an apologetic look. "Sorry Calleigh, I just..." She tailed off as Ellie's wails grew louder. "I've got to learn to juggle work and home, right Ellie?" She turned and hastened off to the kitchen.

Calleigh frowned as she watched her go.

"She is right," Eric said softly, wilting slightly at the scowl his girlfriend gave him. "Look I'm grand with staying," he added hastily, "but you know we can't be here all the time."

"I know," Calleigh answered, "but we can help until she adjusts and gets used to it, it's just about finding the balance that's all. Her and Speed will be less stressed when things are back to normal and Ridley is with us again."

"Maybe," Eric murmured, forcing himself to sound optimistic.

* * *

Three hours later Tim finally arrived home, weary and a little surprised to see Eric and Calleigh's cars still in the driveway. He parked his bike beside the kerb behind Ridley's banged up Mustang, took off his helmet and headed up to the house. He had to admit he was finally getting used to this being 'their house' and it was nice, a little pricier than he would have liked but it actually did feel like home, something he had feared and his mother had promised it never would.

The dark haired traces expert unlocked the front door, stepped into the hall, shut the door and then followed the low sound of the television. He gave a small smile as he heard 'Hickory Dickory Dock' so Ellie was still up then, he couldn't help but be pleased about that, too often he had come home to find his daughter already asleep in her crib.

Tim stepped into the living room spying Eric in one couch, Calleigh on the floor beside Ellie's rocker, and Ridley in a very uncomfortable pose across the sofa, completely unconscious.

"Hey Speed," Eric greeted quietly with a small grin.

"Hey," Tim retorted with a nod as he rubbed at his dark hair tiredly.

"How was the lab?" Calleigh queried teasingly as she glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled.

"Awesome," he retorted sardonically.

"It must have been for you to bring part of it home with you," the blonde replied mockingly.

"Huh?" Tim looked at her in confusion before glancing down and muttering a curse, he was still wearing his pale blue lab coat.

"Fun day?" Eric quipped.

"Yeah, missing girl, apparently a monster kidnapped her and all we have is a handprint on the second storey of a house with no balcony or ledge," Tim grumbled, "Horatio reckons the handprint is too obvious to be a mistake, he thinks they left it deliberately."

Eric and Calleigh exchanged a smile and Eric chuckled.

"What?" Tim queried in annoyance as he headed over to Ellie's rocker, he could hear her cooing happily from it.

"You and Ridley are working the same case from the sounds of it," Eric explained.

"Oh won't that be good if she comes back to the lab," Calleigh enthused, "it won't take much catching her up and you and her can work together."

Tim actually smiled at this before crouching down in front of the rocker causing the toddler to give an excited squeal.

"Dada! Dada! Dada!" Ellie chirped as she squirmed about frantically, waving her hands out to him.

"Hey princess," Tim greeted happily as he unbuckled her and plucked her out. "Trust your mother to get herself involved in something weird again. Mummy really can't help herself can she?"

Ellie giggled as Tim balanced her in one arm and tickled her stomach with his free hand. Tim stood upright and started heading over to Ridley. "What did you do today princess?" he queried Ellie.

"Humpy dump! Humpy dump!" Ellie squealed as she clapped her hands together.

"Of course," Tim retorted with a nod, "he's your favourite isn't he?" He stopped at the sofa, sat down on the edge of it and began stroking Ridley's dark hair with one hand. "Ridley," he murmured gently.

She let out a moan, tensing slightly as her eyelids fluttered open. "Tim?" she quipped sleepily.

"Yep, I'm home," he retorted calmly.

Ridley rubbed at her eyes with one hand as a yawn escaped her before she finally sat upright. She flushed at the sight of Calleigh and Eric still sitting there. "What time is it?" she queried in alarm. "How long was I asleep? Oh God guys I'm sorry!" She turned at the sound of Ellie giggling and tears immediately burned in her eyes. "Oh God Ellie!"

"Hey," Tim said gently as he balanced Ellie on his knee with one arm and drew Ridley into his chest with the other as her lip started trembling, "it's alright Ridley."

"It's not," she choked out, "I fell asleep and I should have been minding her!"

"Shhhh," he hushed her calmly as he weaved his free hand through her hair. "It was your first day back Ridley and you're not a machine. Ellie's fine and you're fine."

"Ridley you wouldn't have done it if we weren't here," Calleigh tried to console as she looked at her friend worriedly. "Come on, don't get annoyed about it."

"Yeah, you're a great mum," Eric assured.

"I'm sorry," Ridley babbled, "I'm sorry guys I've kept you here all night."

"We wanted to stay," the blonde insisted.

Tim kissed the crown of Ridley's head gently. "You're just tired," he remarked, "come on, you get ready for bed and I'll let Calleigh and Eric out and sort out Ellie."

"No," Ridley protested weakly as she pulled back from Tim and rubbed at her eyes angrily, "you've had a longer day; I'll put Ellie to bed."

"Okay," Tim relented to the pleading look in her grey-brown gaze.

Ridley reached for Ellie who immediately started to squeal, "dada, dada! Dada! Dada!"

"We know you hate bed princess," Tim retorted with a small grin as he passed the red faced baby over to her mother, "but your mum and dad really need their sleep."

Ridley stood up with the baby and hurried from the room without a goodbye to Calleigh or Eric. Tim sighed wearily before he stood up and looked to his friends tiredly. "Thanks guys," he said sincerely. "I know you were meant to be going on a date, you should've just called me."

"Don't be silly Speed," Calleigh chided him with a green eyed glower, "you really think a date's more important than helping you guys?"

"Um..." Tim looked at Eric apologetically as he avoided Calleigh's glower.

Eric gave him a sympathetic smile. "Hey it's what uncles and aunts are for Speed," he said happily.

"Right," Tim grumbled. "I'll walk you to the door." He led them outside with another murmur of thanks before locking the door and turning off the lights. He then headed to the kitchen, hungry but too tired to make anything he settled for a packet of chips and a cold poptart before heading to the bedroom.

Ridley was sitting on the edge of the bed in a pair of red shorts and Tim's black shirt. Tim gave her a sympathetic smile as he flicked off the main light putting her in the soft, forgiving glow of the nightstand lamps.

"What's with the coat?" she quipped with a faint smile.

"It's so snug I didn't want to take it off," he answered sardonically.

"You mean you forgot," she said dryly as she swept her dark hair over her right shoulder, her hand pausing momentarily at the faint pink scars on her throat. "Well I like it," she said as her hand dropped to her lap, the gold bracelet on her wrist jingling with the movement, "you look sexy in it."

"Hmm," Tim retorted as he stepped up to the bed, "maybe I'll keep it on then." He stopped at her side of the bed, leaning down to give her a deep kiss. "Every first time mum has problems," he assured her softly as he ran a hand down her left cheek gently, "it's normal Ridley. You and I are doing great, best parents ever, I promise."

"Are you sure?" Ridley queried as she turned away from him to look at the baby monitor.

"Ridley all you need to do is look at Ellie to be sure," Tim replied happily as he kissed her forehead.

* * *

 _Sorry the update took so long guys, I was on holidays :-) Anyway, thanks for the reviews and favs already I was a little afraid you guys were all Miamied out with me by now so I'm delighted you're not! I debated with myself over what age I wanted Ellie to be before deciding it would be more fun for her to be a little older so her personality could show more. Anyway, as always, hope you enjoy and please keep the reviews coming!_


	3. Chapter 2- Back to Work

Timothy 'Speed' Speedle was exhausted and it showed as he slouched forward over the windowpane before him with a bloody handprint on it. He shook his head wearily in an attempt to right himself prompting lab technician Maxine to let out a giggle. She gave him an apologetic smile when he gave her a bloodshot glower. "Did you do something to your hair?" he queried tiredly as he looked at her short blonde locks in confusion.

Maxine's smile turned into a frown as she let out a sigh. "It's blonde," she said flatly.

"I can see that," he retorted dryly, immediately regretting the attempt to converse with his co-worker.

"Wow Speedle for a guy who specialises in detecting things that's bad, even for you. I used to be brunette," she informed him coolly. "Glad you noticed."

"Right...I'm so glad I noticed too," he replied sardonically. He resumed studying the handprint, pointedly ignoring the quietly fuming Maxine.

'Two months ago I got this done,' the technician thought angrily, 'and only now he notices something is different and he can't even figure out what! I don't know what I ever saw in him, not that he noticed that either. At least Eric noticed my hair...'

The door to the lab opened but whilst Maxine was hoping for a break in the tension the new arrival only served to increase it. "Morning Speed," the newest CSI, Ryan Wolfe, greeted cheerfully.

Tim gave the man an unfriendly look, it was a stare Ryan was now becoming used to from the traces expert. "You don't get to call me that," Tim said coldly.

Ryan was a former cop turned CSI after Horatio had recruited him upon seeing his work at a bus crash, commenting to the others that the man had showed an eye for detail and an obsessive manner of keeping his tools up to date. Tim had naturally taken Ryan's hiring to help with his role as a personal insult, the idea that a patrol officer could step into his shoes with such ease was sickening enough but the fact that Horatio had noticed Ryan's OCD manner of keeping his gun clean just made it worse. Tim knew Horatio had to have been thinking of him when he had noticed that trait in Ryan. The fact that Ryan had a major in chemistry and was pursuing a masters in genetics and had actually proved talented in the lab all meant very little to Tim.

"Right," Ryan mused, his wide smile never faltering as he nodded and glanced down at the bloodstained pane. "So, any progress on the print?"

Tim gave the former cop another wilting stare. "Don't you have your own work?" he queried frostily.

"Well..." Now Ryan had the grace to look uncomfortable. "Horatio thought you..." He trailed off, clearly uncertain how to phrase the sentence.

"Horatio thought I what?" Tim's words came out so cold Ryan was surprised his breath didn't mist in the air.

"He thought you could do with the help," Ryan admitted, a little more confidently. With everyone else Ryan found a reluctance to befriend him but he managed, they were professional and polite to him and it was all he could hope for at the moment, certain that in time they would come round. Horatio kept him at arm's length despite Ryan's obvious desperation to impress him, but Ryan felt he would work his way up in his boss' eyes eventually. Alexx's loyalties were with Speed and she had made it very clear to Ryan that she didn't want another friend, he accepted that was because she was particularly close with her 'Timmy'. Eric and Calleigh were decent enough, though with Eric it was like being back in school, he was friendly enough to Ryan privately but whenever Speed was around it was like Eric didn't even know Ryan. Speed, or Speedle as he was evidently going to insist, however took Ryan's presence personally and the former cop was beginning to doubt the man would ever warm up to him.

Tim's scowl deepened as his dark eyebrows furrowed together and he leaned across the lab table so that he was just inches from Ryan. "Listen Wolfe," he addressed him in a low, serious voice, "you are not going to replace me okay so quit trying to worm your way into my cases."

"I don't know how many times I have to say this Speedle," Ryan retorted with a look of annoyance, "but I'm not trying to replace you, just do a good job. It was Horatio's suggestion okay, take it up with him. Get some sleep too, might make you less cranky." With those parting words Ryan hastened off to another part of the lab before Tim could retort.

Tim mumbled several curses instead before resuming his work. Two hours later after running numerous tests and blocking out Maxine and Ryan's inane chatter with his earphones, Tim welcomed Eric calling in to invite him to share his break.

The CSIs trudged up to the break room eagerly where Eric was quick to offer to make the coffees sensing Tim's tense mood. "You look tired raccoon man, Ellie keeping you up again?" Eric queried sympathetically.

Tim ran a hand through his messy dark hair as he took a seat at the table and shook his head. "No," he answered bluntly.

Eric gave his long time friend a quizzical look as he leaned against the counter and folded his arms. "Ridley?"

Tim gave a weary nod. "It's stupid," he grumbled, "it's not even her half the time, most nights she sleeps fine, it's just the odd time there are...nightmares, well memories really, no point bullshitting it. It's this case too, it's weird Delko, I mean I don't know why but I feel something's off about it and I know it's not going to be easy and of course she's frigging involved and that shit with the Ouija board is still ongoing, I mean none of us ever solved that one."

"You think there's a connection?" Eric queried doubtfully.

Tim shook his head. "No, that's not what I mean, just weird shit and more weird shit and Ridley's always right in the goddamn middle. I can't see her in a hospital again, I hardly knew her back then and it was hard but Delko it would break me now if something bad happened to her, I love her, I can't lose her."

Eric gave a sympathetic smile, how often had he thought the same thing about his girlfriend? It was only a couple of years ago that he had been hospitalised protecting Calleigh from a cartel bomb and even now all he could think was what if he wasn't there for the next one, they were CSIs, their job was dangerous, it was that simple. "You won't," Eric said confidently. "I think the same thing about Calleigh sometimes but then I remember she's tough as nails and damn good with a gun, I should be more worried about what she might do to someone." He gave a grin at that thought. "Ridley's the same Speed, she's survived a lot and she's stronger for it."

"I know, I know," Tim murmured tiredly, "I just...I can't help it sometimes. You know it's stupid but when I see her sleeping peacefully I stay up and watch because I don't see her as much these days and because it's good to see her actually at peace, it's nice."

"That's cute Speed but seriously, get some sleep yourself," Eric chided him as he pulled out one cup from the machine and pushed in another.

Tim nodded as his phone started ringing; he tugged it open and flipped it open. "Hey Ridley," he greeted calmly. "Uh huh. Ridley we spent three full days picking the sitter, you even made Horatio look into her, remember? Calm down, it's only the first day it's normal for you to be anxious." He let out a sigh. "I don't think that's a good idea, you don't want Ellie thinking we'll come home at lunch every day. Okay, okay," he protested hastily, "how about I go on my lunch break? No Ridley I don't think Ellie's going to resent you for not coming with me. I promise you she's fine. Yes, I swear I'll go check at lunch anyway. No, I won't forget. Shit Ridley, Ellie's not the same as your car's fuel tank." He let out a groan and rolled his eyes at Eric. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to curse at you. Ridley don't get upset. Look I've got to go; I'll ring you at lunch, promise. Yep I love you too." Tim hung up and frowned as Eric started laughing just as Horatio entered the room.

The redhead looked to the drugs expert curiously whilst Tim stood up from the table and attempted to look slightly attentive.

"Hey H," Eric greeted between chuckles.

"Eric, what's so funny?" Horatio queried in his usual calm, dry manner.

"Did you really vet Ellie's babysitter?" Eric asked.

Horatio gave a small smile at this and nodded as his dark blue gaze flickered over to Tim. "Today's the first day isn't it?" he queried with mild intrigue as Eric only laughed harder.

Tim nodded as he pushed back some of his messy hair. "Yep, Ridley's only phoned the sitter four times already," he confessed with an exasperated look.

"Speed has to look into things at lunch," Eric blurted out.

Tim gave his friend a wilting look and frowned before glancing over at Horatio. "If that's okay, I mean I'm still working on the Warwick case," he said hastily.

Eric looked at his friend in surprise, Speed actually sounded like he was almost concerned, it was highly unusual for him to show any real emotion at work, being a master of apathy. Certainly he never seemed the type to care much for personal praise or recognition or scorn. 'What's got him worried?' he wondered. Realisation darted through his chocolate brown eyes as he recalled seeing Ryan Wolfe down in the lab. 'Of course, Wolfe's really gotten under Speed's skin.'

"I know," Horatio retorted reassuringly, "and it's okay for you to check on your daughter, I'm sure you're as concerned as Ridley."

"Um not quite that bad," Tim murmured sardonically. "Anyway, I'm going back to the lab."

"I'll come with you," the redhead offered, "see what we can piece together."

Tim gave him an offended look before shrugging and heading out the door. Horatio wasn't surprised at the look, Ryan had already come to him grumbling about 'Speedle's messed up attitude'. The redhead understood Tim's defensive reaction to the former cop even if he was completely wrong in assuming Ryan was a potential replacement. Truthfully if Horatio had realised how problematic it would be he wouldn't have hired Ryan because for all his benefits it wasn't worth the tense atmosphere or Tim feeling inadequate. Ordinarily Horatio wouldn't have troubled himself with Tim overreacting to a new co-worker and getting his feelings hurt over it, the man didn't help his reputation being forgetful and careless at times after all and if a new co-worker made him notice those flaws it could beneficial but the redhead didn't think Tim needed the added stress right now when he was dealing with enough at home.

Down in the lab Tim busied himself with inspecting the results he had. "The blood isn't our victim's," he murmured, "and the print isn't in KODIS."

"No surprise there," Horatio answered dryly as he looked down at the handprint.

Tim rubbed his nose briefly with one finger before he moved on from it. "I've got to be honest H I didn't turn up anything else from the scene. I took samples from the window, the room and the front of the house but I've got nothing."

Horatio nodded. "Well the parents don't think they know anyone with a grudge against them or the victim still, no signs of a break in suggest someone who at the very least knew the house."

"The blood at the scene checks out as...Miss Warwick's," Tim said as he faltered to remember her first name, "and Alexx has confirmed if she was alive after that it wouldn't have been for long, not without a transfusion."

Horatio gave the traces expert a sombre look. "So our killer then, somehow got up the second storey without anyone noticing and severely injured or even killed our victim without anyone noticing."

"Sounds like we're looking for a ninja or a messed up acrobat," Tim remarked sarcastically. "Were they on the roof?"

"I don't know," Horatio admitted quietly. "I think we're going to have to go back to the scene and liaise with the detectives, and I think someone needs to talk to our witness again."

"Not Ridley," Tim said automatically.

Horatio raised a golden-red eyebrow at this and waited for Tim to elaborate.

"Don't tell her I told you this," Tim continued with a serious look, "but she had an extremely bad night after talking to that girl, I mean she was up all night screaming about Hawkes and the monster in the dark." He sighed heavily and rubbed at his nose again, an indicator that he didn't want to continue the conversation. "She was fine the next day," he added hastily, "and it hasn't affected her work but..." He trailed off and just stared at his superior.

Horatio could make out the bags under Tim's eyes as well as anyone else and he knew that the man was trying to make a real effort at work despite his fatigue, he could guess at how much harder it must be with Ridley exhausted and hard at work too, and Ellie ensuring they never got a full night's rest. "I understand," he said softly. "I'll see if I can talk to Violet. When is Ridley coming back to us anyway?"

Tim shrugged. "We'll see how it goes with the babysitter but hopefully in the next couple of days. I think she's happier about it since she will still be working the same case."

"You don't seem happy about it," Horatio observed with a calm look.

Tim frowned and grumbled, "it's just Ridley and weird cases, they don't go well together."

"She is the expert in them and she's never let us down yet Speed," Horatio reminded him.

"I know," Tim murmured quietly. "Anyway, what's the next step here?"

"I'll liaise with the detectives about returning to the scene," Horatio decided. "Keep going with what you have here in the meantime and Speed, you're doing a good job okay, don't think any different."

Tim bristled slightly at the last remark and his frown deepened. He offered no reply, instead returning to the now ominous handprint. Horatio, accepting that he wasn't getting a response, escaped the cool, dark lab to the slightly warmer and brighter corridor and headed upstairs to his office to contact Detective Moon and Detective Sanchez.

It was a couple of hours later, just after one, that Horatio met Tim as he was preparing to leave headquarters. "Off to see Ellie?" the redhead quipped.

Tim nodded. "Yep, Ridley's texted me three times to make sure I do it," he confessed.

Horatio gave a small smile at this. "Can I tag along? I'd like to see her again."

"Sure but you'll have to drive, Ridley's got the car," Tim retorted calmly. "How's Raymond doing by the way?"

"He's fine," Horatio replied calmly as he slipped on his Ray-Bans before they headed outside to the sunny December afternoon. Even in the colder months the Miami skyline still managed to look like a summer's postcard, there wasn't a cloud to be seen and the sky was a pale powder blue promising a pleasantly warm day.

"Haven't seen him in a while," Tim murmured, more to himself than his boss. "I suppose we should call round."

"You're always welcome Speed," Horatio answered amicably as he tugged out his keys and unlocked his car, "just let me know to make sure he's around." Horatio split guardian rights of his nephew with Yelina's mother, Raymond's maternal grandmother, as it meant Horatio could continue working full-time as a lieutenant and Raymond was appropriately looked after. The redhead knew the twelve-year-old wasn't happy about it, he loved his grandmother but she was an old woman and there was a lot she couldn't do for him. Worse, there had been too many events at school now that neither Raymond's grandmother nor uncle had been free to attend and too often he had been denied nights out with friends because no one was available to take him down and pick him up. Calleigh and Eric had tried to help out with that but between Raymond and Ellie they had ended up with their hands full.

Tim gave Horatio a tight, bitter smile over the car roof before opening his door. "Parenting's hard isn't it?

"Yes it is," Horatio agreed solemnly before he got into the driver's seat.

The drive was pleasant but long thanks to the lunch time traffic. Horatio wasn't helped by Tim turning on the radio station and tuning into a rock station but Tim had found it necessary as he could feel himself falling asleep in the silence, especially when the car slowed in the heavier traffic and almost lulled him into unconsciousness.

Horatio pulled up in Tim and Ridley's drive behind a second hand black Suzuki that he knew belonged to one Holly Collins, a sweet nineteen-year-old who was studying History and Politics at college when she wasn't babysitting.

Tim unlocked the door and led the way into the living room, following the sound of the television.

"Mr. Speedle!" Holly greeted with a look of a surprise and a faint blush. The skinny brunette was on her hands and knees playing with Ellie and several toys, including a ball and a colourful, squishy L shaped object that was shiny and noisy.

"Speedy?" Ellie's voice chirped up curiously before she followed Holly's blue stare. "Dada!" she trilled out happily as she abandoned her toys and started crawling across the wooden floor to him hastily. "Dada!"

Tim gave her a warm smile as he crouched down, ready for his daughter before remarking, "hey Holly, I just thought I'd call by on lunch, that's all."

"It's no problem," the young woman answered hastily as she pushed back a fine strand of her hair and stood upright quickly.

Tim scooped Ellie up in both hands, laughing as she gave a delighted giggle. "And what have you been doing today princess?"

"Dada penpen! Penpen!"

"Penpen?" Tim repeated with a curious look.

"Um there was a programme about penguins," Holly explained as she smiled faintly at Tim, "Ellie seemed to really like it."

"Right, penpen," Tim commented as he nodded down at his daughter.

"Pen!" she repeated as she clapped her hands together.

Tim turned with her in his arms to face Horatio, as he did Ellie's brown eyes widened before she gurgled up at the taller man. "Hoto!" she greeted happily.

"I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that," Horatio murmured as he gave her a gentle smile.

"No, me either," Tim joked. "It's Ho-ray-she-o, Ellie."

Ellie paused in gurgling to look up at her father inquisitively. "Hosho!" she stated proudly.

"Um..." Tim just shook his head with a smile. "Never mind princess." He finally looked over at Holly who was attempting to tidy the toys up. "Has she been good?" he queried.

Holly looked over at the dark haired man in surprise before standing upright again and nodding. "Yes, she's been great," she assured.

Tim wondered why the young woman seemed so flustered as he looked at her suspiciously. "Are you sure? It's alright if she's given you trouble, I expected as much on the first day."

"No really," Holly insisted with a wild shake of her head, "no trouble Mr. Speedle."

"Really?" Tim turned his suspicious gaze on Ellie. "You haven't missed your daddy at all?"

"Oh she has!" Holly protested quickly before her cheeks turned scarlet as Tim looked her way again. "Um, I mean, she has cried a bit but not for long, and it's no trouble."

"Dada! Dada humpy dump!" Ellie cried out.

"What is the obsession with the egg?" Tim pondered aloud as he nodded down at the little girl. "Humpty Dumpty, you got it princess."

"Oh the DVD's on," Holly said with a nod towards the television, "I'll put it on the correct chapter." She hastened to the remote on the coffee table and started flicking through the DVD menu.

"Well I think everything's fine here," Horatio said calmly, "shall we head on?"

Tim looked down at his daughter with an obvious reluctance before a soft sigh escaped him. He didn't realise it was going to feel hard leaving her all over again. 'And to think I mocked Ridley,' he chided himself. "Yeah, sure," he murmured, "I'll get her settled first. You want to watch Humpty Dumpty Ellie?"

"Humpy dump dada! Humpy dump!" Ellie squealed excitedly as she squirmed in his grasp.

Tim nodded again with a smile before he placed her down in doughnut seat facing the television just as Humpty Dumpty's story started playing. The baby gurgled with delight and started clapping her hands happily.

Tim stood up and gave Holly a small, grateful smile. "Well you've got everything under control," he said, "so I'll leave you to it. Give me a call if you need anything."

Holly gave him a wide, attractive smile and nodded. "Thanks Mr. Speedle."

Tim turned towards the living room doorway where Horatio lingered and started walking towards it.

"Dada? Dada! Dada!" When Tim failed to turn around as Ellie twisted in her seat to see him she immediately started to scream. "DADA! DADA!"

Tim winced at the angry wails that followed. "Shit," he muttered quietly.

"It's okay Ellie," Holly immediately tried to soothe as she kneeled down beside the child. "Dada's just going to work, he'll be back later though."

"DADA NO! DADA!" Ellie shrieked as her face turned bright red and she started to howl as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Come on Speed," Horatio urged quietly as he saw his co-worker hesitate with a frown, "don't make it worse."

Tim shook his head in despair and murmured without looking back, "sorry Holly."

"It's okay," Holly called, trying hard to be audible over Ellie, "she'll be calm in a few minutes, don't worry Mr. Speedle."

Tim didn't bother with a reply, he simply escaped out of the room hastily and then out of the house, banishing his daughter's squeals. "Well now I feel terrible," he grumbled as he got into Horatio's car.

"Don't," the redhead assured him, "she will get used to it."

"I know but I don't want that either," Tim confessed with a frown, "I don't want her to not miss me."

Horatio glanced across at him with a sympathetic smile. "Getting used to someone's absence is not the same as not missing them Tim," he retorted calmly. He reversed out of the driveway with ease and started driving towards their crime scene.

It took another hour to get to the Warwick household and during the journey Tim slumped against his window with a miserable expression as the guilt over disturbing and then abandoning Ellie gnawed away at him. For a while he even ignored his phone buzzing as Ridley texted him until he remembered that he would be seeing her soon and did not want chided for ignoring his messages. So he sent Ridley a brief message reassuring her that Ellie was fine and in good hands before he resumed his moody stare out the window.

They arrived in the Warwick's driveway just as Ridley and Angelo were getting out of Ridley's car.

"Ellie's fine," Tim was quick to say before Ridley could ask, "perfectly happy and in good hands."

"Are you sure? I mean she gets anxious when one of us is out of the room for more than ten minutes," Ridley murmured, "and she only likes her panda bear if she's sleepy and-"

Tim held up his right hand and interrupted, "Ridley she is fine, I promise."

Detective Sanchez gave a small smile before looking Horatio's way. "So how do you guys want to do this?" he queried calmly.

"I was thinking I'd try to question Violet again," Ridley piped up as she faced Horatio, "she might be less in shock and more talkative."

"I thought I'd try," Horatio retorted quietly, "just to see if you wants to talk to someone else."

Ridley gave him a quizzical look as she folded her arms. "Well I think I'd be better," she said, still calm as she wasn't trying to argue with the redhead, "I mean she's already met me."

"Yes," Horatio allowed, "but she might just associate you with that night now; maybe somebody new might be welcoming."

Ridley gave a slight frown at this and her gaze flickered over to Tim accusingly. "I'm good with interviews," she said defensively.

"Yes, Ridley, this isn't a question of your abilities," Horatio assured, "I just feel it might help for someone else to try with Violet."

Ridley shook her head. "What did you say Tim?" she demanded. "Don't you think I can handle this case?"

Tim sighed heavily as Detective Sanchez looked appropriately awkward and deliberately turned to face the front door. "Did I say that Ridley?" Tim queried wearily.

"You said something," she accused.

"Detective Speedle didn't say anything," Horatio remarked calmly. "I apologise Ridley, there was no offence intended I just wanted to speak to Violet to get my own impressions of her and what happened the night her sister was taken. How about I talk to her first and then you?"

Ridley's frown deepened as she shrugged. "Alright," she said with a forced calm. She turned to the door at last and Detective Sanchez finally rang the bell.

They were welcomed in by a pallid Mrs. Warwick who had bloodshot eyes and cheeks damp with tears. She greeted them quietly, almost in a whisper, before letting them into her house. She made no offer of refreshments, no protests at four of them being present and simply told them to do what they could before she headed off to the kitchen.

The heavy atmosphere in the house was palpable, all the blinds were drawn, and each room seemed quiet and gloomy. The CSIs headed up stairs to the primary crime scene whilst the detectives opted for exploring outside and around the property again, determined to turn up evidence of an intruder.

It was upstairs in the bedroom that Horatio and Tim found Violet Warwick, sitting on the edge of her bed, staring numbly at a brown bear teddy in her lap. She looked up as they entered, giving them an alarmed brown eyed stare before she stood up. She moved so suddenly that the bear tumbled from her lap and hit the floor.

It was Tim who darted in to lift it up, surprising Horatio who had been just about to do the same thing. For Tim it was instinctual and only when he was holding it out to the frightened girl did he realise how odd that was. Normally when it came to children and crimes he hung back, barely looking if they were victims and almost never talking if they were witnesses, leaving that up to Calleigh or Horatio. Tim had never been good with children but Ellie was starting to change that.

"My daughter has a bear like this," he informed her quietly as he held it out to her, "he's taken a few falls as well but he's a survivor."

"His name is Benny," she croaked at him hoarsely as she stared down at the bear.

"Benny the bear," Tim mused, "that's a good name. My daughter just calls hers bu but we can't hold it against her she's still learning to talk."

Violet extended out a hand to the bear at last, taking it tentatively until it was fully in her grasp, then she hugged it close to her chest.

"Does he help you when you're scared?" Tim asked calmly as he met the girl's frightened stared once more.

She nodded anxiously into the bear's head.

"Are you scared now?"

She nodded again.

Tim nodded back sympathetically though he could think of nothing else to say. 'I'm no good at this,' he thought moodily as he glanced over his shoulder at Horatio. He was mildly shocked to see the awe the redhead was watching him with but rather than give him confidence it just made the traces expert even more flustered over trying to interview Violet. "Well, I'm Detective Speedle, and this is Lieutenant Caine," he introduced at last as he stood upright and gestured back to Horatio. "Why don't you tell us about it? Maybe we can help."

* * *

 _Sorry for the long wait guys, it's just since this is probably going to be the last in my Miami-Ridley series I'm uber conscious about making it great and this isn't the most exciting chapter. I have so many plans for this fic and I'm hoping it's all going to work out._

 _I couldn't resist having Ryan Wolfe here, in a minor role since I haven't seen enough of his episodes to really get a feel for his character, I just couldn't let go of the idea of him and Tim meeting :-)_

 _As always thanks for the reviews and favs and please keep them coming!_


	4. Chapter 3- Theories

Eric was delighted to find Ridley back in the office, occupying the desk that had once been hers for many months before passing from staff member to staff member, unable to gain a new permanent owner thanks to an unfriendly atmosphere that descended in the office when someone got too comfy in the black swivel chair. The half-Cuban made a beeline towards the detective with a smile, he was surprised to realise how happy he was to see her back in Miami-Dade, it was as if things were suddenly in balance again and it made him optimistic.

She was wearing a cream shirt with a black pussy bow under its collar, an open brown blazer and a matching, pleated skirt that almost reached her knees showing off legs hidden beneath brown tights and brown brogues. Ridley's fashion senses had always been a source of interest in Miami, they tended to stray into the style of preppy and were usually inappropriate for the warm weather as Ridley seemed to cling to her New York roots, murmuring about memories of endlessly cold and dark winters. For a while she had also made a large and over the top effort to conceal herself, hiding scars and what she deemed a 'misshapen' form from pregnancy. Before Ellie, Ridley had always held the belief that the scars not one but two psychotic men had left her with were ugly and obvious and that if it anyone saw them it would only result in awkward questions and bad memories. After Ellie, Ridley had continued with this belief but also the added misconception that her still hormonal, pregnant suffering body was something to be reviled. What little weight she had gained, had gone through stress rather than exercise and it had taken a lot of effort and persuasion from Tim and Calleigh to get Ridley to put some of it back on as she had become too bony. At long last Ridley seemed a bit more balanced with her weight and a little more confident in her dress sense.

"What the hell is that?" he blurted out instead of 'welcome back' as he glimpsed the picture on her computer screen. It was a black and white ink illustration of a long limbed figure with a cloak that looked like bat wings, claws for hands, horns on its humanoid head, and a pair of fancy, high heeled boots.

Ridley glanced up at Eric with a sheepish look before clicking off the image and onto an article.

"Spring-heeled Jack?" Eric made the article's heading a question as he gave it a dubious look. "You know the rest of us just settle for playing Solitaire when we're procrastinating."

"I'm not procrastinating," Ridley retorted defensively. "I'm working a theory."

"A theory?" Eric folded his arms even as his brown eyes filled with intrigue. "Well come on, share," he urged her.

"We had a minor breakthrough yesterday," she murmured, "well I think it's a breakthrough."

"And who doesn't?" Eric quipped.

"All the pig headed men," Ridley grumbled.

Eric laughed at that as he filled with further interest knowing it had to be a fairly farfetched breakthrough for even Horatio to dismiss it. "What kind of breakthrough?" he pressed for information.

"Angelo and I were questioning the neighbourhood again in case someone remembered something and there was this girl, Lisa Anderson, six years old, who swears she saw a flying bat man and two shadow men."

Eric let out a snigger before he could help himself. "The batman?" he queried mockingly.

Ridley glowered up at the man and snapped, "you're as bad as Tim. No, she says he got up really high and had wings."

"Well it's a bit mind-boggling but I don't see why Horatio would dismiss it, we have heard stranger," Eric replied.

"Well he didn't quite dismiss it," Ridley admitted grudgingly, "but he didn't really hold a lot of value in it. All Lisa could say was that it was dark and the man wore black."

"Still, can't see H just ignoring it," Eric murmured.

"Lisa's parents might have said she's prone to an active imagination and telling tales," Ridley retorted quietly.

"Ah, unreliable witness," Eric commented. "Well, is it the only lead you have so far?"

Ridley nodded. "Tim found a tiny scrap of black cloth on the outside of the window but that's it."

"And this led you to this Jack guy?" Eric remarked as he nodded at the computer screen.

"Well, I keep thinking about how our guy got up to that floor, the window was forced in, the evidence suggests that, so he came in from the outside but there is no trace of him at all on the roof."

"Wait," Eric interrupted with wide eyes, "you think he jumped up there?"

Ridley looked a tad embarrassed even as she frowned at the man and nodded. "Well it's a theory anyway," she muttered. "I mean jumped with help obviously, I don't think it's some kind of superhuman or a man on springs for that matter, I just think he got up there in some unnatural fashion, not supernatural."

"And how did he get down with a body?" Eric demanded.

"Well...I don't know, he had help I assume, maybe the two shadow men Lisa saw were ordinary men."

"Didn't this all happen between nine and eleven?" Eric quipped. "I mean Speed said something about the parents being assholes who were too occupied with a movie to hear anything."

Ridley shook her head scornfully. "They're not assholes," she protested, "and we don't know for sure that's when Annabelle was taken, that's just what they think. They went to bed shortly after eleven, Mrs. Warwick went to the girls' bedroom but she never went in, the door was ajar and she heard heavy breathing so she just assumed the girls were asleep and maybe they were. The Warwicks' bedroom was two rooms down, there is a bathroom between the two rooms, is it unthinkable that the killer came after they went to bed?"

"Well no," Eric replied. "So alright, say this happened in the early hours of the morning when everyone in the neighbourhood is asleep and isn't going to notice some weirdoes breaking into a house, I mean that's not unthinkable, there burglaries all over the city with the occupants none the wiser until the morning but...jumping up to the window."

"I know, I know," Ridley murmured tiredly, "not jumping on springs necessarily but...I don't know how the hell else they got up there, they sure as shit didn't fly. It's that or they got in a different way and went to a hell of a lot of trouble to make it look like they came in through the window." She paused and looked thoughtful for a moment before sighing. "It's all just theory," she admitted, "and Violet, the sister, isn't saying much either, just that the demon came through the window, but she's too traumatised to say much more."

Eric gave her a sympathetic smile. "You guys sure have a tough one on your hands."

"Tell me about it," the New Yorker grumbled. "Hey could you not share my theory with Tim and Horatio, I don't think they'd be on board with it just yet."

Eric nodded. "No problem Ridley."

"And there was something else, just while you're here."

"Yep?" Eric gave her a quizzical look.

"The Ouja case, it got assigned to you in the end, right? Well that is you're the CSI to contact."

"Yeah," Eric admitted as he looked a little uncomfortable, "it went cold but it's still open and it seemed unnecessary having all our names active on it so it's me and Sanchez. To be honest I've heard nothing about it in months, I mean we quizzed all the families, all known enemies, including the woman's ex and we looked for known serials in the area but nothing quite matched up to it. Sometimes you just can't solve everything, there is just too much crime and too few of us."

Ridley leaned back in the leather seat and looked up at Eric with a serious stare. "All the girls went to the same school but no one in the school could be linked to it, I mean they were your typical rich, spoilt brats who thought they ran the place, plenty of would be enemies to consider, victims of their bullying pushed over the edge," Ridley mused, "but it was just too dark for that, those kind of people don't usually premeditate they just snap one day and this was premeditated, I remember Tim discovered the board had been magnetised."

"Yes, but the placing of the magnets suggested the hostess was the one who rigged it, that Delacroix kid. Anyway, what does it matter all of a sudden?" Eric demanded with a suspicious look. "It's an old case." Speed had been very vocal at the time of his irritation and worry over it being Ridley's last case and Eric knew he had taken extra precautions for the couple of months that had followed as if fearing some sort of personal attack on Ridley just for being linked to the case. He also knew that his friend was almost relieved to see it go cold as if getting close to solving it might endanger them all.

"Well I looked into it," Ridley confessed, "several times in fact and the girls had something else in common."

"Yes?" Eric quipped as he felt a spark of interest.

"Their star signs, some of them were Aries and some of them were Capricorn, the ram and the water goat."

"And?" His brown eyes filled with confusion as he looked at Ridley.

"And those are animals of sacrifice, in the Bible there are a lot of passages about sacrificing sheep or goats to absolve yourself of sin."

Eric did not know how to respond to this, part of him was intrigued, when it came to weird cases he couldn't help but get excited but the CSI in him told him that this was just theory, a flimsy one at best and he had to be all about the evidence. Plus he knew Speed would be raging if he thought Eric was not only engaging with Ridley about the Ouja case but encouraging her interest in it. "Um...okay," he said awkwardly.

"I know, another mad theory," Ridley admitted, "but I can't help but think there's something to it. I mean we couldn't find any personal links, no one with grudges could ever be linked to it, so was that the link? The thing they all had in common? I mean they were messing with an Ouja board, the demons, the Bible, I know, I know," she added hastily seeing Eric's dubious look, "I'm grasping at straws but it's all I could turn up."

"Maybe it was just simply that they were there in that house, crime of opportunity, the killer wanted the Delacroix women and took out the other girls as witnesses or for fun," Eric retorted calmly. "Who knows? We never could find enough evidence to say. Anyway, I'd better get back to the lab."

Ridley nodded. "Well thanks for hearing me out," she said gratefully.

"No problem, and it's good to have you back," Eric replied with a warm smile.

"It's good to be back."

* * *

Tim entered through the glass doors to the Miami-Dade headquarters casually, pausing in the lobby to tug off his sunglasses and shove them inelegantly into his jeans' pocket. He glanced over to the right to an older male dressed in a cheap grey suit with a shabby look to it and frowned as he detected the unmistakable odour of whiskey coming from him. It was faint, half-burrowed beneath the stench of a too sweet aftershave and coffee but Tim still caught it. He took a slight step away from the man, not wanting to be the one to bother with him when a hopeful voice queried, "hey are you a CSI? Can you help me out?"

Tim swallowed down a sigh as he turned back to the man with a scornful look. "Yes," he answered dryly his eyes flickered over to the receptionist who simply shrugged back.

"Good," the man commented brightly, his green eyes shiny and a little unfocused. "Then you'll know where I should go. I have important business for you guys." He paused for a moment and pressed a palm against his chest to digest a burp. "Very important."

"I'm sure sir," Tim retorted sardonically.

The man frowned and his hand snapped out to grab Tim's right arm tightly. "Don't mock me," he snapped angrily as he glowered up at Tim, "I'm a...serus...serious attorney, I-"

"Dad!" the shrill, embarrassed voice of Calleigh Duquesne caught both Tim and the man off guard.

Tim's eyes went wide even as he shrugged off the man's hand and thanked God he hadn't blurted out his intended response to the man.

The man turned to Calleigh with a wide smile, seemingly ignorant to the surprise in her green eyes that was starting to turn to anger. "Lambchop," he greeted cheerfully, almost slurring the word, "I've got a client facing a murder charge but she says she didn't do it and I need you guys to help but this punk," he grumbled with a careless wave in Tim's direction, "won't take me seriously."

Tim's right eyebrow rose a notch at that as he folded his arms with an unimpressed look. "Punk?" he echoed coolly.

Calleigh gave Tim a heated look of annoyance before she finally stopped walking as she reached her father and grasped his left arm gently. "Dad this isn't how this works," she chided kindly, "you've got to go through the correct chains of command, you know that. What about the officer on the scene?"

"Some guy called Sanchez is on it," the man muttered, "he says it's an open and shut murder case but I got a feeling about this Cal, please, this could mean real business for me," he begged with a pleading look as he swayed slightly on his feet. "It's been hard lampchop, real hard and this girl could go down for a murder she didn't commit."

Calleigh let out a heavy sigh before giving Tim another look of annoyance. "Let's discuss it in private dad," she said calmly before turning him away from the dark haired CSI and walking off.

Tim watched the pair go with a shake of his head before he headed towards the steps. It took a little searching before he found Ridley in Horatio's office with the redhead going over their current case. She greeted Tim with a warm smile and he gave a small grin in response, glad to see how happy and at home Ridley appeared to be. "How's it going?" he quipped.

"It's frustrating," Ridley confessed, "we keep going over your shots of the scene but nothing's popping up." She gestured down to the photographs on Horatio's desk where she was currently sitting. Tim was mildly amused to see his girlfriend in his boss' leather seat whilst his boss stood behind her leaning over the desk, looking very much like the second rather than the leader. Anyone else and it just wouldn't be happening but somehow Ridley always had a knack for working past Horatio's defences.

The door burst open behind Tim as Eric entered the room in a hurry waving a photograph excitedly. "Ridley you need to see this," he blurted out anxiously. He paused suddenly as he spotted Tim and seemed to clam up.

"Need to see what?" Ridley asked as she looked up at the half-Cuban curiously.

"Um..." Eric trailed off awkwardly as he made an all too obvious effort not to look at Tim.

Tim folded his arms once more and looked at his friend pointedly. "Yes Delko what?" he queried. "You nearly took me out with that door."

"Just a photograph from a scene," Eric murmured, "it could be something or it could be nothing." He stepped up to Horatio's desk, wilting slightly under the redhead's questioning look as he handed the photograph over to Ridley, making an effort to shield it as he did.

Ridley held the picture in her right hand and looked at it in puzzlement, her skin paling slightly as she did.

Horatio looked over her shoulder, making out the image of an open Bible; he scanned down its two pages curiously as he wondered what he could be so fascinating about it to Eric.

"Care to share with the class?" Tim quipped dryly, his annoyance clear in his brown eyes.

Eric gave his friend a bright smile as he tried to think of an appropriate answer that wasn't going to lead to Tim's wrath. "It's just a theory," he mumbled.

"A theory about what?" Tim demanded.

"What case is this from?" Horatio pried as he glanced up from the photograph to Eric. "And how is it relevant?"

" 'He shall also bring his guilt offering to the LORD for his sin which he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin'," Ridley read a quote from the open Bible aloud, her voice stiff and emotionless as she uttered each word carefully as if reciting in a Church.

"What the hell is that about?" Tim queried, more confused now than annoyed.

Ridley set down the photograph and looked at Eric, her brown-grey eyes dancing with eagerness and intrigue. "Where was this?"

"At the scene," Eric admitted, "in the living room, we didn't think much of it because there were other books on the floor, no prints on it and no quote marked out, I guess we thought it just fell that way, I mean nothing suggested those pages were intentionally left that way."

"Guys it is starting to seem like you are talking in code," Horatio chided calmly, "unless you two are on a secret spy mission explain what's going on please."

Eric's eyes looked to Ridley apologetically. Ridley gave him a small smile in response before murmuring, "it's okay." She then look up to Horatio and confessed, "it's the Ouja board case."

"Oh what the hell!" Tim exclaimed angrily before he could help himself. "Ridley that's Sanchez' case, not yours, and you," he added as he pointed at Eric accusingly with one finger, "why are you helping her with this? Did Sanchez ask you to look at it again? Did you give this information to him?"

"No," Eric answered defensively, "Ridley had a theory and I looked into it, where's the harm in that?"

"Seriously man," Tim retorted with a scowl, "where's the harm? Oh I don't know, seven girls and one woman dead in mysterious, brutal circumstances, and almost two years later we're still none of the wiser as to who did it or why, and here you go trying to resurrect it all again."

"Tim," Ridley scorned as she stood up from the desk, "it was me okay, I mentioned my theory to Eric and asked if there had been any updates on the case. It was my case and it's still open."

"Ridley," Tim replied as he frowned over at her, "don't give me that, Sanchez headed the case, with good reason, and you promised if you were coming back to all this that you would make an effort to stay out of the weird shit."

"I know Tim but I can't ignore a link that might stop this guy! Seven young girls were murdered that night, whoever did that needs to pay," Ridley protested.

"Well it's doesn't have to be you that makes that happen," Tim grumbled.

"What exactly is the relevance of the Bible quote?" Horatio spoke at last, his voice purposely calm as he feigned ignorance to Ridley and Tim's mild arguing.

Ridley gave him a slightly flustered look as she considered admitting her theory. "Well, it's just a theory," she said quietly, "but I noticed all the girls had one of two star signs, Aries and Capricorn."

"The ram and the water goat," Horatio mused, "and the quote, Leviticus, mentions goats and sheep, females sacrificed to atone for sin."

"You can't be serious," Tim commented with a look of disbelief. "Weird, dangerous shit again," he groaned. "God Ridley pass it on to Sanchez." He gave her a pleading look when she stared at him sharply with anger burning in her eyes. "Ridley I'm not questioning your capability or anything else but we already have a current case that stinks of bad news; please don't add another to it."

Ridley let out a sigh, despite her annoyance she knew that Tim was only trying to look out for her and after all they had been through with weird cases she couldn't exactly blame him. "I'll try to see if Sanchez is interested," she relented.

"It could be a coincidence," Eric reminded them as he gave Tim a look of apology.

"Now Eric you know we don't believe in those," Horatio remarked with a small smile. "If you don't mind Ridley I'd like to look at your theory, I'll discuss it with Detective Sanchez."

Ridley nodded with her own small grin, proud to have discovered something Horatio was willing to take seriously.

"In the meantime, let's resume the case at hand," Horatio suggested.

* * *

It was two hours later that Tim bumped into Calleigh again, this time in the lab where she had been working with Eric. Eric had noted that his girlfriend seemed a little distracted but he put it down to a heavy workload and ultimately left her with it in the guns room whilst he attended his own workload.

Tim's brown eyes couldn't help but notice the file lying on Calleigh's desk labelled- 'Donner Case'. He let out a heavy sigh before glancing over to the bulletproof glass through which he could see Calleigh taking shots with a shotgun. He waited and watched as she took shot after shot with an impressive accuracy. He couldn't help but think there was a small part of her that was definitely releasing some stress with those trigger squeezes. It was how the blonde had persuaded Tim to show his gun some much needed love, by persuading him to do some 'stress relief shots'. He had become particularly good at them when Ryan Wolfe had remained in the team after Tim's return.

When Calleigh finally set down her weapon and stepped out of the room he was quick to step up to her. She pulled down her earmuffs and pushed up the orange tinted goggles as she looked at him calmly, her beautiful face giving away nothing. "Something wrong Speed?" she queried casually with one of her usual bright smiles.

"Yeah, the Donner case was Wolfe's," Tim said bluntly, "and I'm guessing it's the one your dad was on about."

Calleigh's mouth swiftly turned into a frown before she retorted airily, "I've no idea what you're talking about Speedle."

"Speedle," he chided sardonically with a roll of eyes, "you call me that the way my mum calls me Timothy. Honestly Calleigh I'm not trying to piss you off here just help. He's your dad, you can't pick up a case like that, you would be labelled as biased and any evidence you unearthed would be considered tainted. Never mind you're going to infuriate Wolfe, Sanchez and a lot of other people in the process."

"It's none of your business," Calleigh retorted defensively, "so don't worry about it."

"Calleigh," Tim chided as he rubbed his nose slightly with his right hand. He didn't want to bother with it, a great part of him wanted to just forget that he had met Calleigh's father, albeit briefly, but he knew he couldn't. For all their ups and downs, and clashes, Calleigh was still Tim's friend and he didn't want to see her do something foolish out of familial love. "I'll take it on," he offered, "get your dad to do the paperwork right and request a fresh pair of eyes and I'll do it."

"No," Calleigh protested even as her emerald gaze filled with shock. "Look forget you heard anything Speed, please."

"Calleigh I can't do that and I can't let you risk your reputation on this. If your dad does it right and I take it on, as a neutral party, then no one's at risk."

"And what about pissing everyone off?" she queried quietly with a pointed look.

Tim grinned back at her. "Well I would love an opportunity to piss off Wolfe and Sanchez, call this my Christmas gift from you."

Calleigh let out a soft giggle, unable to help herself. This drew the questioning gaze of Maxine who was studying blood samples in a corner to the right.

"Well, if you really want to do this," the blonde murmured.

"I do Calleigh," Tim replied sincerely.

Calleigh bowed her head to hide the tears that threatened to bud in her eyes. "Thanks Tim," she said softly, "I mean that," she added as her emerald gaze flickered back up to him. "I'm really grateful for this."

"No problem."

"If you, Ridley, and Ellie are still coming over for dinner tonight I might even make you dessert," she added teasingly.

Tim nodded at this. "So long as I get a bigger portion than Delko I'm happy."


	5. Chapter 4- A Friendly Dinner

Lieutenant Caine stood outside the Miami-Dade County jail staring at its tall, automatic, steel gates coolly from behind his tinted shades. Behind him was a swiftly fading sunset as another December evening began, it was almost Christmas time, not that you would know it out here. Horatio gave a tight smile as the gates creaked and slid back granting a young male freedom as he strode out calmly between two guards before being abandoned to a dusty pavement and palm trees. He had a messy tangle of light brown hair, fair skin and pale blue eyes that were dull and for a moment failed to notice Horatio. He was vaguely attractive, his appearance ruined by a misshapen nose that had been broken more than once, a pair of black eyes, bruising on his cheeks and scars around his lip.

"Out just in time for Christmas Mr. Maguire," Horatio addressed him carefully as unfolded his arms and let his palms rest against his hips. "Have you been good this year?" he queried mockingly.

The man halted to stare up at the man in annoyed confusion before recognition flickered through his damaged eyes. "Lieutenant Caine," he remarked tiredly. "Why are you here, did you miss me after all this time?" he added sarcastically.

"I'm just here to make sure you have no intentions to abuse your newfound freedom, Will," Horatio warned as he tilted his shades down with his right hand to show Will his serious cerulean stare.

"How so?" Will sneered as he folded his arms. "I mean all I have planned is paying my old flame Ridley a visit to wish her a Merry Christmas, is that so bad?"

If Will wasn't suffering from a limp he might have dodged Horatio's sudden movement but as it was he hadn't expected the redhead to react to the jibe so quickly. Horatio's right hand snapped out, grasping tightly at the collar of Will's worn, brown jacket. "Will I'm going to give you a warning and not as a lieutenant, as Ridley's friend, if you go near her I will make you pay dearly for it."

"That sounds like a threat lieutenant," Will retorted with a smirk as he reached up his hands to Horatio's. The threat had come spontaneously, a deliberate and foolish attempt to anger Lieutenant Caine and Will couldn't help but feel a rush of satisfaction as he saw the rage building in the redhead's cerulean eyes.

"No Will, it's a promise," Horatio retorted in a low voice before he shook him hard and then released him. He pushed his sunglasses back up and said coldly, "you're on probation Will, remember that, someone will always be keeping an eye on you." With those words the redhead turned and hastened back to his car.

It took Horatio an hour to reach Mrs. Salas' humble home. An hour of driving in autopilot with the radio off, his mind focused only on Will Maguire's release. He was lucky there wasn't much traffic given he almost ran a red light and ignored a Stop sign.

Mrs Salas greeted him at the front door with her expected scorn and tired gaze, keeping him at the porch whilst she called for the only person they had in common, their one link to each other- Raymond Caine Junior. The teenager came with a sullen expression and grumbled that his uncle was late before abandoning his grandmother without a goodbye for his uncle's car.

They had barely past the two year mark since Yelina Salas' premature death, the result of blood poisoning from a bullet wound left in her leg by the cartel. It had been sudden and unexpected, the bullet wound had barely been a scrape after all and the poisoning had seized her swiftly. She had died with Horatio holding her hand, something he didn't think Raymond had forgiven him for yet. Horatio couldn't be sure what Raymond Junior hated him more for- being there in Yelina's final moments instead of her son, or for not being able to save her.

It took another half hour for them to reach Calleigh Duquesne's house, now forty minutes late for dinner. The blonde greeted them at the door with feigned annoyance before a smile slipped through. "You know Speed and Eric are ready to eat the table," she jested, "come on in and let's get started." She stepped back to let the pair into her festively decorated home.

There were twinkling, multi-coloured fairy lights, tinsel and garland seemingly everywhere they looked, fake snow adorned the hall table and the expected mistletoe was hanging up in every doorway. Calleigh didn't stop for it though as she hastened through to her modest dining room where Ridley and Ellie were already sitting waiting.

The long table had a silver and white tablecloth on it; the silver embroidery depicting reindeer, pine trees and snowflakes, and in the centre was a glass bowl of silver and white baubles with two silver candles in glass holders on either side. Each chair had a silver bow on it and the discarded, old, mahogany chair in the corner was burrowed beneath four Christmas themed cushions.

"Hoto!" Ellie squealed cheerfully as she clapped her hands. The toddler was in a high chair, a small plate of mashed potatoes and carrots in front of her, though most of the food was also now smeared across the tray, her hands and face.

Ridley gave the redhead a tired smile by way of greeting before resuming attempting to clean Ellie with a wipe.

"I'm sorry guys," Horatio retorted apologetically as Calleigh ushered him and Raymond to their seats.

"Better late than never," Calleigh retorted happily. "Help yourselves to drinks, I'll get Eric and Speed, and Eric and I will get the food." The blonde scurried off through a door into the kitchen without waiting for a reply.

Outside beneath the miserable, cool, blue sky Eric and Tim stood on Calleigh's cracked grey patio. Sensing movement in the kitchen, Tim turned his head slightly over his left shoulder, glimpsing a flash of blonde hair through the slightly steamed up windowpane, he hastily stubbed his cigarette out against the wall before flicking it down the drain.

Eric snickered and remarked tauntingly, "you're like a naughty schoolboy Speed."

"Ha ha," came the dry retort.

"When did you start smoking again anyway?" Eric pried.

Tim glanced warily towards the kitchen door, certain that it could only be seconds before Calleigh opened it to summon them inside again. "When we got that case," he admitted grimly, "with the odd handprint. Ridley had a bad night that night, it was kind of stressful."

"Does she know you're smoking again?"

"Nope and I'd like to keep it that way."

Eric grinned sympathetically and nodded. "Well no fear over me telling her but she is a detective."

Calleigh opened the door at last and queried with a look of suspicion, "what on earth are you two doing out here? Horatio and Raymond finally arrived, get in and help with the food!"

Eric and Tim exchanged an amused glance before they both hastened into the kitchen and hastened to help serve the food. "One more thing Speed," Eric quipped as Calleigh handed him plate after plate.

"Yes?" Tim retorted with a slight frown as Calleigh yanked out both his arms and immediately plonked several bowls onto them.

"I've never understood this, why is it that Ridley can't call you Speed but she can call you Tim? Isn't Tim just a nickname for Timothy?"

Tim bristled slightly as Eric used his full name. "Firstly, don't ever ask Ridley that," he retorted dryly, "and secondly, no one calls me Timothy, except my mother when she's being a bitch."

"Speedle!" Calleigh chided as she gave him an appalled look.

"Yep, that's the tone mother uses," Tim murmured with a shake of his head as Eric started laughing.

By the time they followed each other through to the dining room laden with plates Ellie had started howling.

"I'm sorry," Ridley said hastily as she tried to calm her daughter, waving Ellie's wooden ring toy in her face. "What's wrong Ellie? You don't need changed."

"She's probably just fed up waiting on H for so long," Eric joked as he looked to the redhead. "What kept you?"

"Traffic," Horatio answered with a small, wry smile.

"Mama no!" Ellie cried out angrily. "No! No! Humpy dump!"

"Ellie, Humpty Dumpty's at home, you can watch him later," Ridley retorted, sounding calm despite the look of exasperation on her face.

The girl's face turned bright red as she let out a shriek. Raymond muttered a curse under his breath as Eric's brown eyes went wide and Calleigh tensed a little in surprise. "Humpty dump!" the girl screamed before she started banging her hands up and down on the tray angrily. Splats of mashed potato flew through the air, one striking against Ridley's right cheek.

Seeing his girlfriend's expression waver for a moment, Tim finally darted in, bending down and scooping Ellie up and out of her high chair. "Come on now princess, that's enough," he murmured as he cradled her close despite her struggles. "You won't be watching Humpty Dumpty at all if you don't settle."

"NO! NO! NO!" the girl screamed in her father's ear.

Tim frowned but didn't seem fazed by the screaming. "Alright kid have it you way, no Humpty Dumpty tonight."

"Tim," Ridley chided quietly before Ellie started a chorus of screaming.

Raymond let out a groan of annoyance prompting his uncle to give him a look of scorn. "She's just a baby," Horatio reminded him quietly.

"I don't care," Raymond grumbled back rudely, "why do I have to listen to it?"

Ridley looked at the boy with a mixture of anger and embarrassment before she stood up; running her right hand through her slightly frazzled dark hair before she held out her hands across the table for her daughter. "I'll take her," she said quietly but firmly, "you have your dinner."

Tim glanced over at Ridley, ready to protest when he saw the stern look in her eyes.

"You didn't have lunch," Ridley reminded him.

Tim sighed and surrendered the wailing child. "Alright," he murmured, "but I'll take her after, you need to eat too Ridley."

Ridley just gave a brisk nod before looking to Calleigh apologetically. "Can we sit in the living room for a few minutes?" she asked almost pleadingly.

"Of course," Calleigh retorted calmly, "and I'll put a plate for you in the oven so it doesn't get cold."

"Thanks," Ridley retorted before she hurried off with her daughter.

They began to tuck into their food, Eric making a few jokes in an attempt to lighten the mood whilst Horatio praised Calleigh's cooking and Tim attempted to eat a decent serving though he couldn't stop glancing at the door Ridley had escaped through. It was a generous helping of mashed potatoes, carrots, biscuits, and chicken, a meal Calleigh had been planning for a couple of weeks now. Not quite a Christmas meal but close enough, Calleigh had insisted upon it since, as usual, their schedules and families were going to keep them apart at Christmas.

Tim hastened through his portion, leaving at least a quarter of it on his plate before he hastily dismissed himself and hurried after Ridley just twenty minutes after they had begun their dinner.

A drained but happy looking Ridley rejoined them in the dining room. She apologised before Calleigh cut her off with a gentle smile and insisted that Ridley enjoy her food and a glass of wine. Everyone then politely ignored just how quickly Ridley drained the glass and welcomed a second from Calleigh.

Once the meal came to an end Eric and Ridley helped Calleigh load the dishwasher whilst Raymond headed to the living room as Horatio's mobile rang. The redhead looked at the name in surprise before dismissing himself to take the call. He headed out the back, despite the fact that it had begun to rain, and answered the call.

"Catherine," he greeted brightly.

"Hey Horatio," came the warm retort.

The redhead's smile faded swiftly as he detected the strain in the Las Vegas CSI's voice. Catherine Willows, a beautiful, wonderful and talented woman, she was one of the very few who could make Horatio flustered, something he had discovered just two years ago on her home turf. They had met before that in his jurisdiction, sharing an equal admiration for each other on first sight but it was in Vegas that they had they dared to swap business for pleasure in a moment of curiosity. Ever since then they had had an odd sort of relationship, sexual but casual, dictated by how often they could find the time to travel between Vegas and Miami.

"Is something wrong?" Horatio queried calmly. This was it, the polite call to let him know she had found someone else or had done some deep thinking and wanted to end things while she could. He had feared Catherine would be more likely to end things face to face and despite his bitterness he couldn't help but feel a sliver of relief that it was over the phone.

"It's Nicky," she answered quickly as if forcing herself to say it.

Horatio let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding as he leaned back against the wall. "I assume you mean Nick Stokes?" he retorted curiously. 'I would've thought he was a bit young for her tastes,' he thought himself moodily. He was surprised to feel a twinge of envy and worse, hurt.

"Yes, I...it's bad Horatio, I...you're not going to like why I made this call."

"No, I don't think I am," he agreed, now using that brittle calm voice he reserved for when things were really wrong.

"He was kidnapped and buried alive," she confessed it bluntly, "in a glass coffin. God it was awful, we could see him in it, the bastard wanted us all to watch him die. It went on for a long time, he was only allowed light or air, never both, when we triggered the camera we triggered the light, shit we were helping torture him and we didn't even know! God, I'm sorry Horatio, we only got him back a week ago, it's still raw."

Horatio had tensed at Catherine's words, 'kidnapped and buried alive', it was horribly familiar, too familiar. He knew why the woman had called him now and yet he had to ask it anyway, "okay Catherine, I'm sorry to hear that of course but why did you call?"

"Well," her commanding voice was back, confident and firm, "Nicky's losing it over this and none of us can do anything, he's helpless and we're helpless to help him because we can't possibly understand what he went through. He's a good guy Horatio, he doesn't deserve for his life to be ruined over this, he needs help, he needs someone who understands to get him through it."

"Catherine," Horatio protested gently.

"He needs Detective Moon," Catherine interrupted, "she is the only person in the country who could understand. I know it was different, a serial killer got her, and for Nicky, well it was some bastard trying to get revenge for his imprisoned daughter, he didn't care what CSI he got but they were both buried alive, and they were both meant to die."

"Detective Moon was beaten, raped, cut, skinned and worse Catherine," Horatio reminded her frostily.

"Jesus Christ."

Horatio turned sharply to face the suddenly pale Tim who had just opened the back door in time to catch the end of the conversation. He had opened the door quietly, not wanting anyone to notice him sneaking out and had certainly not been expecting to find anyone else outside.

"Catherine I have to go," Horatio said calmly, "but we will discuss this later. Send my regards and sympathies to CSI Stokes." He hung up the phone before the woman could protest, knowing he would regret his abruptness later.

"Why in the hell are you dredging that up again?" Tim demanded. "Why?"

Horatio gave Tim a calming look before he answered. "CSI Nick Stokes was kidnapped about a week ago, allegedly by a man seeking revenge against the CSIs for his imprisoned daughter, I don't know the details. What Catherine told me is that Nick wasn't just kidnapped, he was buried alive for a long time and though he is free now he is understandably suffering repercussions from his ordeal and no one is entirely sure how to help him through it."

"Shit." Tim finally stepped outside and closed the door behind him. He looked at the soaked redhead in shock for a moment before shaking his head angrily. "Shit and she just thought she'd casually ring you up and involve Ridley? Because it's okay for Ridley to relive that hell and go mad so long as it helps him?" he queried sardonically.

"I don't think Catherine meant it like that," Horatio protested quietly. "I think she's just desperate to help her friend and no one else can so far. It is horrible what he and Ridley went through but the fact that Ridley has gone through it, is a similarity Catherine probably feels is worth acknowledging. Look Speed," he continued in a firmer tone as he saw Tim ready to protest, "I'm not entertaining it, I know as well as you what Ridley went through, I was there."

"Good," Tim grumbled, "don't mention it to her. Shit, why...why was Stokes buried too?" He looked disgusted at the thought. "It can't...not another Hawkes?"

"No," Horatio assured, "it's not a copycat, at least I didn't get that impression. Catherine did try to emphasise it was different."

"Good, right," Tim shook his head with a distracted look, "let's just forget it, please."

"I won't mention it to Ridley," the redhead allowed.

Tim accepted that as he turned back to the door.

"Don't you want your smoke?" Horatio queried calmly.

Tim tensed slightly as he fixed his expression into one of puzzlement before he glanced over his shoulder at his boss.

The redhead gave the dark haired man a small smile in response. "I know Speed," he informed him quietly, "and I won't tell Ridley about that either."

"Thanks," Tim muttered before opening the door and re-entering the kitchen. Horatio followed after him.

The pair headed to the living room where the others had gathered and were watching a light hearted Christmas movie. Ellie was now on the floor playing happily with dolls that Calleigh had bought to entertain the girl in her home. Tim took a seat beside Ridley and put his arm over her shoulders. She looked up at him with a small smile before leaning against him and returning her attention to the movie.

They finally departed around ten in the evening, Ellie fast asleep as her father picked her up as gently as possible and carried her out to the car. By now the rain was coming down in an unpleasant drizzle and Ridley and Tim were quick to say their farewells before hastening into Ridley's car.

Horatio and Raymond left ten minutes after, Horatio purposely ignoring Calleigh's probing emerald stare, knowing that she had sensed the subtle shift in his mood and wanted to pry about it. Their journey back to Raymond's grandmother's house was tense and they didn't utter a word between them. Horatio knew he should make some sort of effort with his nephew but he couldn't get his mind off Nick's plight and the premature release of Will Maguire, two things he was determined to keep from Ridley.

The redhead murmured his goodbyes to his nephew when he finally pulled up in the driveway. He was ready to get out and walk him to the door but Raymond was quick to escape from the car, slamming the door without a word and charging up to the door without a backward glance. Horatio let out a heavy sigh before stepping out of his car calmly and walking up hastily through the rain just as Mrs. Salas opened the door.

Raymond pushed past his grandmother without a word, or a look at his uncle and disappeared down the corridor.

"Good dinner?" Mrs. Salas queried as she raised a brown eyebrow and looked at Horatio pointedly. She was an older, sterner version of her late daughter, her brown locks now silvery grey, her swarthy face wrinkled and the skin tight over her cheekbones, with sun freckles dotting her neck and what was visible of her arms.

"It was nice," Horatio retorted sincerely with a small smile.

"Raymond think so?"

"Well he ate plenty," the redhead mused.

"Right."

"Anyway, it's wet, I'll see you again," Horatio remarked politely. "Have a good night."

"You too Horatio," she retorted with a cool politeness.

Horatio reached his own house shortly after midnight. Normally used to the loneliness, for the first time in a few months he was a little dismayed to feel it as he locked the door and headed through the familiar darkness of his living room to the corridor that led to his bedroom. He paused in the doorway to his room, flicked on the main light and stared in with a slight frown.

The kingsize bed, which was usually an inviting sight to the lieutenant who worked more hours than should be humanly possible, now just seemed too big. He thought briefly of Catherine before his mind jumped to Yelina and he shook his head, forcing himself to dismiss his woes. Out of his team he was the only one who would be sleeping alone tonight, Calleigh and Eric had each other and Tim and Ridley had each other but he had no one to even consider. He considered sardonically that maybe it was because he had no one that he had too much time to think of things like Will and Nick; perhaps he actually needed the distraction of a lover.

Exhausted from all the hours he had worked he finally changed for bed and gave into an uneasy slumber deciding that there was little he could do about the matters of Will and Nick right now. He knew though that neither problem was going to just go away, Catherine was a stubborn, determined and deeply loyal woman, if she thought Ridley could be Nick's saviour in all this then she would ensure a meeting between them happened even if she had to go through Horatio and Tim to do it, and Will. Horatio, ever since learning of Will's parole date, had spent a lot of time looking into the disturbed young man but there wasn't much to learn save what he already knew. Will was no mastermind but he was definitely a man who bore dangerous grudges, one ex-girlfriend had been brutally murdered because he had offered her name up to a serial killer because she had dumped him.

It took him half an hour to finally nod off, a confusing jumble of images of Ridley and Catherine filling his mind as he did.


	6. Chapter 5- Merry Bloody Christmas

_I guess a mild warning here for some disturbing Christmas related imagery._

* * *

"Hey Speedle what the hell are you doing reopening my case?" Ryan Wolfe demanded as he stormed into the traces laboratory. His jaw tightened slightly when Tim didn't even bother giving him a courtesy glance. "Seriously is this because I came up with the right solution for the Lopez case, now you're poking holes in my case? Look it's not my fault you got the wrong conclusion."

Maxine, who was lingering a few tables away examining blood spatters, looked up briefly at Ryan before making a point of appearing busy.

Tim stopped shining the tinted light on the white blouse before him and glowered up at Ryan at last from behind red tinted goggles. "Firstly, I hadn't finished with that case Wolfe," he growled out frostily, "my girlfriend went into labour early, not a lot I could do about that asshole, and secondly, I'm not the one who reopened this case."

Wolfe folded his tanned arms as he paused just a couple of inches away from Tim's lab table. Anyone else and Ryan would have made a point of getting in their face but Tim wasn't the type to be easily intimidated. "Right but you just had to be the one to take it," he retorted angrily. "It doesn't matter who reopened it, it was my case, I should still be on it."

"Well that would defeat the purpose," Tim retorted dryly.

"The purpose of what?" Ryan snapped sharply. Even though he knew Tim was deliberately baiting him he couldn't resist it as his temper flared and overrode reason.

"Of finding out if you missed something," Tim answered casually with a shrug, "or someone else, maybe that idiot Sanchez overlooked something, maybe you both did."

"Just because you almost had someone wrongly convicted for murder doesn't mean the rest of us would do the same," Ryan retorted snidely.

Maxine abandoned the pretence of work then to lean across her table to hear Tim better knowing that her co-worker was probably close to snapping.

"I already told you Wolfe I hadn't finished with that case, but you finished with this one," Tim answered icily.

"Oh that's right," Ryan sneered, "your personal life was more important than a murder case."

"It's a job Wolfe, don't make it something more than it is," Tim replied bitingly before he finally resumed looking at the shirt.

Before Ryan could think of something else to say the doors to the laboratory opened and Calleigh entered wearing her long, pale blue lab coat. Her emerald eyes widened at the sight of Tim and she scurried over to him. "Evening guys," she greeted politely.

"Hey Calleigh," Ryan greeted, almost shyly as he gave the blonde a small smile. Her golden mane was snared up in a loose ponytail leaving her rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes exposed. She had a soft blush on her cheeks, gold glitter on the edge of her eyelids and a healthy glow to her skin, making her fair face appear all the brighter and prettier. When she grinned she looked almost elfish and Ryan felt his smile widening as he continued to hold her stare.

"Why are you boys still here?" she queried chidingly. "Don't you know it's Christmas Eve?" Her gaze fell on Tim then, suddenly stern as she rested her hands on her hips.

Maxine peered up at the woman carefully from a bowed head with jealous, glimmering eyes. She was annoyed at how Calleigh's mere presence seemed to diffuse the situation between the men and how even Ryan looked to her with an obvious attraction. The technician had always liked Tim that little bit more for seemingly not being attracted to Calleigh, he had treated the woman as little more than a colleague until Eric had started bringing her out with them, then they had become friends of a sort but the traces expert had never seemed to look at her with the kind of lust Eric did. It had given Maxine some hope until Ridley had come along, now the technician thought maybe Tim just had weird taste.

"Is it?" Tim quipped sardonically.

"Hmm suppose I'd better get going," Ryan muttered, frowning as he felt Tim's mocking gaze upon him. He acknowledged that he had lost their latest spat but vowed that it wouldn't be the end of it. "I'll discuss the Donner case with you later Speedle," he added pointedly.

"I've already got your case notes on it Wolfe, you don't need to discuss it," Tim retorted calmly.

Ryan clenched his fists slightly but resisted the urge to retort as Calleigh looked to him questioningly. "Have a good Christmas Calleigh," he murmured before he turned away from the pair.

"You too," the blonde answered kindly.

"Don't worry I'll have a good one too," Tim called after him sardonically.

Calleigh watched the former cop go, waiting until he was out of the door before she turned and looked to Tim pointedly. "Is he giving you a hard time about this?" she pried with a concerned look.

Tim almost smiled at that thought before shaking his head. "He wouldn't be capable of giving me a hard time," he jested. "Don't worry about it Calleigh."

"Okay, well seriously, why are you still here?" she demanded. "You should be home with Ridley and Ellie."

"I know, I'm going soon," Tim murmured, "it's alright, they've got Detective Cavaliere to keep them company anyway."

Calleigh smiled at that. "Really, when did he get in?"

"This afternoon."

"Hmm tell me Speedle," Calleigh quipped in a feigned stern voice, "are you trying to work hard on a case or are you trying to avoid your future uncle-in-law?"

Tim gave the blonde a stony stare in response. "Can it be both?" he queried dryly. "Anyway, uncle-in-law, is that a thing? And don't I have to be engaged first?" He rubbed at his nose slightly with his free hand then, pausing when Calleigh let out a light giggle. "What?" he demanded as he looked at her in confusion.

"You're rubbing your nose," she answered as if that explained everything.

"And?"

"And you only do that when you want to avoid talking about something," she pointed out. "Honestly Speed, it was a joke, no need to freak out about wedding bells just yet I'm sure, unless, has Ridley been asking?" She clapped her hands together and let out a gasp. "Oh I'll get to be a bridesmaid!" she trilled with wide eyes of excitement. "Oh how wonderful!"

"Shit Calleigh calm down," Tim retorted with a nervous gaze as he shrank back from her slightly. "Ridley and I haven't discussed anything like that, thank God and if you don't mind, I don't want to discuss anything like that."

"Alright," the blonde retorted sweetly with a smile, "I won't if you tell me something good about da...Donner's case," she changed the word hastily as she spied Maxine out of the corner of her eye and noted how the technician was trying to subtly eavesdrop.

Tim arched a dark eyebrow at the woman before letting out a heavy sigh. "That's blackmail you know."

Calleigh shrugged. "You can feel free to report it to H while I pick out dress colours with Ridley." She giggled again when she saw how Tim paled.

"You've made your point," he grumbled. "Alright, well there's no gun residue on the accused's shirt but I kind of expected as much. I checked the bullets, and I'm sure you'll know better than me gun girl, but they were for a Ruger Mk II pistol."

"And why is that odd?" Calleigh pried. "From what I glanced at they found one at her house."

"Yeah sure, except the one they found is black, the bullets I looked at had minute traces of stainless steel on them, I admit it's hardly tangible but it bugs me a bit."

"You think the murder weapon used was a stainless steel Ruger?" Calleigh queried hopefully.

"Yeah, same make, same model, just one's black and one's silver, but I'll need more than that."

"Well what about the shirt?" Calleigh quipped as she looked down at the item in question.

"Like I said, no gun residue, the cardigan had gun residue, the shirt had none but if she was wearing the cardigan and the shirt, the cardigan left enough exposure for the shirt to be tainted."

"Good work Speed," Calleigh said happily as she reached over and squeezed his right hand. "Seriously," she added as she locked eyes with him, "I am really grateful for this."

"Happy to help," Tim retorted sincerely.

"Good, now get your ass home already Tim."

Tim gave a small smile at this and nodded. "I'll wrap things up now. What about you, no plans for Christmas Eve?"

"I'm waiting on Eric," Calleigh confessed, "then we're having dinner with dad."

Calleigh busied herself with her own work in the guns room whilst Tim tidied up his case, heading out of the lab just as Eric was heading in.

"Hey Speed," Eric greeted cheerfully, "taking the lab home with you again?"

Tim followed Eric's gaze down to the pale blue lab coat still clinging to him and murmured under his breath, "it's intentional."

"Really?" Eric quipped with a teasing grin as he folded his arms and blocked the doorway. "And why is that Detective Speedle?"

Tim frowned at his friend. "Does it matter?" he queried bitingly.

"It's Christmas Speed do you really want to be reminded of work? Here, I'll take it back for you," he offered as he held out a hand for it.

"You're too kind Delko," Tim grumbled.

"Come on," Eric urged as he shook his hand up and down, "unless you have a good reason for keeping it on?"

Tim sighed. "Yeah, my girlfriend likes it and I haven't got laid in days because she's asleep or I'm asleep or Ellie's not asleep but now the awesome great uncle Chris is here so he can mind Ellie."

Eric burst into laughter at this and shook his head chidingly. "Well that explains your temper, poor Speed," he mocked. "I bet you don't call Chris that to his face by the way."

"I did it once," Tim admitted.

"And only once right?" Eric taunted.

Tim refused to answer, instead he said, "can I go now Delko?"

"Sure and have a merry Christmas, and may you spend it getting laid."

"Uh huh, you have a good Christmas too."

Eric laughed again before stepping aside to let Tim out at last.

Tim found the night quiet, dry and slightly cool, well cool for Miami. As he drove he found the roads had only minimal traffic, most of it consisting of taxis and the odd police car, and he made it home in good time. He parked his bike behind Ridley's car and entered the house briskly, taking off his helmet as he did just as Chris' voice called cautiously from the living room.

"It's just me Mr. Cavaliere," Tim retorted calmly as he rested the helmet on the hallway table and on top of unopened mail, most of it undoubtedly bills. He followed the sound of some happy Christmas cartoon up the hall and into the living room, frowning slightly when Ridley wasn't there to greet him as expected.

Chris was on the couch with Ellie in his arms, the young girl was transfixed with the cartoon reindeer and elves until her she heard her father's footsteps. "Dada!" she called out happily with a smile.

"Hey princess," Tim greeted as his eyes flickered from his daughter to Chris, "where's Ridley?"

"Still at work," Chris answered calmly, "she called to say she would be late." The forty-something Las Vegas detective looked relaxed in a loose, grey shirt and brown trousers, and Tim found himself slightly envious of the man, he couldn't recall when he had last been that relaxed.

Chris Cavaliere cut an unkempt, swarthy figure, giving off only the vaguest aura of professionalism he fit the stereotypical profile of an aging Las Vegas cop who had seen so much shit that he was bordering on apathy and had long forgone the idea of looking presentable, undoubtedly quick to argue that so long as he solved the crime why the hell should it matter if his shirt was wrinkled. This careless attitude should have made him and Tim kindred spirits and yet, for one reason or another, Chris pointedly refused to warm to the CSI.

"How late?" Tim queried moodily as he glanced about the living room, unsure what to do now.

Chris shrugged. "She didn't say." He gave Tim a curious look. "Are you meant to wear those coats home?"

Tim's frown deepened at that and he rubbed at his hair tiredly with one hand. "I'm going to give Ridley a call," he decided, "see if she's going to make it back for dinner."

* * *

Horatio did not know what to think as he arrived at the scene, he didn't know why he had still held enough faith in humanity to consider this holiday too sacred to taint scorning himself that at this point he should really know better. It was a quaint, magical scene of lights and colours turned into a horror, gore and death mixed with the bows and baubles. The flashing red and blue lights of the police car added a stark contrast to the still fairy lights, the royal blue and blood red somehow all the brighter and bolder.

They were standing outside the Coconut Grove public library looking in a transfixed horror at its Christmas tree. In replacement of a star or angel there was a human head, mouth aghast, brown eyes frozen in terror and long, white blonde hair spilling down the green branches of the tree. Worse, there were limbs as well, arms on either side with a bauble hanging from each hand and legs jutting out awkwardly at the bottom, candy canes shoved into bloodstained toes.

"It's her isn't it?" Detective Sanchez queried bluntly. He stood beside his partner, the very still Detective Moon, looking at the tree with a cold stare.

"It looks like it," Ridley admitted frostily as she filled with an angry frustration. Her eyes flickered to the bottom of the tree where a hessian sack sat, red font on it stating 'DO NOT OPEN UNTIL DEC 25'. She sighed and tugged on her red velvet gloves before stepping up to the thing.

Lieutenant Caine moved forward then, contemplating stopping the woman but she was quick to grasp at the thing, dragging it out and tugging open the top as she did. Ridley released the thing just as fast, stepping back in sudden revulsion as her face paled. "Sanchez get the CSI here now," she ordered sharply.

"Already here Detective Moon," Horatio announced as he reached her.

Ridley turned to him in surprise before nodding and pointing back to the sack as Sanchez gave a grunt of disgust. The mouth of the sack was open giving them a view of its contents- two human heads mixed with entrails. "It...it looks like Annabelle Warwick," Ridley explained to Horatio, "on the tree but those two I don't recognise." She shook her head as she felt the rage burn anew. She had told the Warwicks she would find Annabelle; she had looked into Violet's eyes and assured her that they would stop the monster. Now here they stood, failures, with the knowledge that Christmas would forever been tainted for the Warwick family now.

"Okay," Horatio answered calmly with a nod as his serious blue stare darted from the open sack to Ridley, "let's get the scene secured and start processing."

"Frigging lunatic," Sanchez grumbled, "who does that to a Christmas tree? Seriously, why?"

"They wanted us to know we'd failed," Ridley murmured quietly, "and that the girl was dead."

"Why?" Sanchez demanded again as he gave his partner a look of frustration. "Wasn't it fun anymore for them to watch us hunting for her like fools? And who the hell are they anyway?"

Ridley shrugged. "I don't know," she answered tiredly, "it's one of the many questions we're going to have to find answers for."

They secured and processed the scene for a couple of hours until Alexx arrived to claim the body parts. The medical examiner came with a look of displeasure, her work clothes evidently thrown on in haste as her face was visibly made up for a night out. She looked beautiful in the neon glow of police lights, cheeks blushed, eyes smoky and dark hair up in a high, tight ponytail.

"Evening guys," she greeted politely, "not the Christmas Eve any of us were hoping for huh? What happened to peace on earth and goodwill to men?"

"I think our guy forgot his carols," Horatio retorted dryly.

"Oh dear," she murmured as she gazed up at the head, "honey how did you get up there? That's not the kind of angel you should be."

"Shit," Ridley cursed distastefully earning a questioning look from Horatio. Despite how close Tim and Alexx were it was obvious that Ridley and the medical examiner were never going to share the same bond. Ridley regarded Alexx with an air of unease and Alexx could still remember how Ridley had almost had a breakdown at the thought of ending up on her table being talked to by the examiner as if she were still alive. It was funny because Tim had admitted quietly in one of his darker moments, shortly after getting shot and almost killed, that he wouldn't want anyone other than Alexx dealing with his sorry remains, confessing that at least she would treat him with dignity and yet his girlfriend seemed to think otherwise. Three years ago Ridley had made Horatio promise if anything happened to her she wouldn't end up on Alexx's table and now, despite all they had been through, all they had shared, and the fact that Alexx was one of Ellie's chosen guardians should anything befall Tim and Ridley, it was evident that Ridley still wanted Horatio to honour that promise.

"Well," Alexx continued calmly, "let's get this poor girl down."

It was then than Ridley's phone rang. "Hey Tim," she greeted wearily. "Dinner?" She gave the heads in the sack a look of distaste. "Um I'm not that hungry. Right, I know it's Christmas Eve Tim, look I'll get home as soon as I can. I'm sorry, and Chris isn't that bad, just play nice Tim. Alright, I'll text you when I'm on my way home. Bye."

It was another hour before Ridley and the others were finally able to depart, Ridley accepting a lift from Lieutenant Caine despite Detective Sanchez's offers. When they reached her home she invited Horatio in to say hi to Chris. They entered just in time to catch the tail end of a heated conversation between Tim and Chris in the living room.

"I'm sure Riddle would welcome the chance to help," Chris snapped heatedly.

"Firstly, don't call her that," Tim growled back in annoyance, "and secondly, do you really want her helping with that when it would be at her own expense? Seriously, you and Willows weren't here, you have no idea of the hell she went through!"

Ridley paused questioningly in the hallway as Horatio frowned, the redhead making an accurate guess as to what the men were arguing over. When he had heard about Chris coming into town Horatio had harboured some suspicions that Catherine might have made a point of talking to him before hand, hoping that she might persuade Ridley through her uncle into helping Nick.

"Riddle?" Ellie echoed innocently.

Ridley was certain her heart skipped a beat at hearing that awful name coming from her own daughter. She flinched when Horatio suddenly grasped her right hand and gave it a gentle squeeze and only then did she realise that she had been shaking her head over and over again.

"There's no power in a name," the redhead reminded her before he turned back and gave the front door a loud and deliberate slam just in time to prevent Tim's inevitable yelling.

Ridley nodded wearily as she touched her brow with her free hand before shaking off Horatio's grasp and heading up the hall. She entered the living room with a forced smile, purposely acting as if she had not heard anything. Her eyes flickered briefly to her Christmas tree and for once she was glad that it was just a small one, too small to imagine a human head resting on top of it.

"Mama!" Ellie squealed happily.

"Hey Ellie," Ridley greeted joyfully as she hastened forward to her daughter, plucking her up from Chris' lap and ignoring Tim's look of suspicion.

Tim turned his heated brown gaze on Horatio instead, frowning when the redhead maintained the perfect poker face, refusing to give away whether Ridley and he had heard Tim and Chris or not.

"Welcome to Miami Chris," Horatio greeted the Las Vegas detective politely, extending out a hand as he did.

Chris stood up to accept the hand prompting Tim to mutter under his breath, "he's in my house and I can't call him Chris."

Ridley gave her boyfriend a scornful look before quipping, "hey Tim why don't you make Horatio a coffee?"

Tim sighed and raked both hands through his dark hair before he headed off to the kitchen with a grunt. Ridley then excused herself to change Ellie's nappy, leaving Horatio and Chris to converse.

"How are things in Vegas?" Horatio quipped calmly.

Chris folded his arms and gave Horatio a slight scowl. "Well they're not good for Nick Stokes but you know that don't you?"

Horatio gave a small, bitter smile at this. "Straight to the point, so Catherine has hopes for you talking Ridley round to visiting him then?"

Chris nodded. "Look she's my niece, I don't want her to suffer through her past again but that boy is in a bad way and no one else is getting through to him."

Horatio gave Chris a calm, serious stare, taking care to hold the detective's gaze. "With all due respect Chris, neither you nor Catherine saw what Ridley suffered. Our killer didn't just bury her; he did his best to mentally and physically destroy her before he abandoned her in that coffin to die. He did a lot to her in just a matter of hours and the damage was lasting, even now, three years on, I'm sure that woman still has nightmares. I can respect the similarities between her case and Nick Stokes and I can understand the idea that if he has someone to relate to he has a better chance of recovery. Unfortunately, I have to be selfish and tell you and Catherine that the potential of Nick Stokes' recovery is not enough for me to contemplate risking Ridley's mental state. It has taken her years to recover and more effort than you seem to realise, it took a lot of strength and time but she got there, I won't see it undone."

Chris' scowl deepened as he folded his arms and continued keeping eye contact with the taller man. "I'm her uncle, I'm family, I wouldn't ever see her in harm's way and I think you're wrong about this, she is strong and it has been three years, I think for the sake of Nick she would be willing to do this and I think she would be furious if she knew you were keeping Nick's state from her."

Horatio gave a light shrug. "Maybe so but I don't intend for her to find out about Nick Stokes. Now, it's Christmas Eve Chris, enjoy the holiday with your niece, don't tarnish it, you almost lost her once, you should appreciate that you have this time to spend with her."

Chris looked ready to snap an insult but he hesitated as Tim re-entered the room. Tim's brown eyes darted between the men and his dark eyebrows furrowed in suspicion as he handed Horatio a cup of steaming black coffee. In his other hand he clutched a glass of whiskey, which he took a satisfactory gulp of.

Ridley returned a couple of minutes later with a now red faced and moody Ellie. "You've really got to get used to getting your nappy changed," Ridley scorned even as she smiled.

"Mama," Ellie chirped up suddenly as she stretched out her right arm to point at the tree. "Mama!" she repeated excitedly as she squirmed in Ridley's grasp, stretching out to the tree in frustration.

Ridley walked over to the table on which the small tree sat, letting her daughter reach out to grab at a nutcracker in a blue uniform. "Hey good choice," Ridley praised as her smile widened, "your mummy bought that for daddy."

Ellie giggled as she pushed it and it swung lightly against the branches.

The small group spent twenty minutes sharing small talk before Horatio finally left and Ridley put Ellie to bed. Then she and Tim excused themselves to bed leaving Chris to flicker through the channels on television.

"Alone at frigging last," Tim grumbled as he shut the bedroom door.

Ridley gave him a soft smile as she checked the baby monitor for the third time.

"What happened at work anyway?" Tim pried.

"It doesn't matter," Ridley answered wearily, "not tonight anyway, let's just leave it at work and I'll fill you in later."

Tim frowned until Ridley stepped up and slid her hands up his chest over his lab coat to grip his shoulders. "I really do like this coat on you," she murmured.

Tim leaned down and gave her a supple kiss before reaching up to help her tug off her jumper. "Merry Christmas hmm?" he mused as he kissed round her neck, reaching up a hand at her back to unfasten her bra.

"Yeah, Merry Christmas Tim," she retorted happily as she leaned forward and unbuckled his belt. "Keep the coat on," she added with a mischievous smile.


	7. Chapter 6- A Time of Giving

Tim awoke sleepily to Ellie's cries and glanced at his alarm clock tiredly, it read half seven in the morning. Ridley had already been up three times with the young girl and he knew he wasn't dodging it this time, so he sat up tiredly and rubbed at his eyes with a groan.

Ridley's eyes snapped open then and she bolted upright with a look of alarm. Tim looked at her in surprise, wondering if she had had another nightmare until she blurted out, "oh no the presents!"

Tim gave his girlfriend a quizzical look as he ran a hand through his messy dark hair before swinging his legs round the bed.

"Shit Tim l need to put them out," Ridley cursed as she stood up quickly, hastening to grab the blue velvet nightgown resting on the post at the end of the bed.

"Er what?" Tim queried sleepily before giving a yawn. "She's not even two Ridley she won't care." He knew he had said the wrong thing when Ridley turned to face him sharply with a serious stare.

"Tim it's important!" she snapped crossly.

"Alright," he gave in quickly, far too tired to dispute the matter of Santa's presents. "You do that and I'll sort Ellie," he murmured as he finally stood up.

"Just don't bring her into the living room for a few minutes," Ridley said before she hurried from the room.

Tim shook his head before stumbling from the room sleepily, urged on by the wailing coming through the monitor. He gave a faint smile as he entered Ellie's room, the characters from the 'Hey Diddle Diddle' nursery rhyme decorated the pale yellow walls in a colourful strip, and numerous books cluttered the shelves with a few choice ornaments. There was an oak wardrobe, a matching, large toy chest, a set of drawers, and finally a cot, which sat in the centre of the room. The whole room had been Ridley's project for several months and even now she still kept tweaking it. Tim peered over the wooden rail at the cot's single occupant, a red faced, bawling Ellie.

"Morning princess," Tim greeted wearily. He leaned over the cot and plucked her up with a little effort as she wriggled angrily and her bawls grew louder. "Is someone hungry?" he quipped as he nestled her carefully in his arms and carried her out of the room. "You know it's Christmas, you've got to be good if you want your presents from Santa."

While Tim sorted out Ellie's breakfast in the kitchen, Ridley roused a weary Chris from the lumpy couch in the living room, hastening him off with several shoves before she started bringing the messily wrapped presents from the cupboards where she had hidden them, and started setting them up on the couch.

"You know she's not even two," Chris commented tiredly as he rubbed at a kink in his neck. Though the couch was uncomfortable Chris didn't mind as he felt the mild discomfort was worth spending time with his niece and grandniece, he had no children of his own and even if Ellie made him feel old he was still glad of the time he could spend with her.

Ridley gave her uncle an unimpressed look as she placed a few small toys in the red stocking hanging on the fireplace with Ellie's name on it in gold font; the stocking was a gift from Calleigh and Eric. "It's important," she informed him sternly.

Chris queried wearily, "why?"

"Because I didn't have Santa," Ridley answered calmly, "and I want things to be different for Ellie."

Chris gave his niece a small, tender smile at that before replying, "Ellie has a great life and a wonderful mother."

"And one hell of a dad," Tim chirped up pointedly as he appeared in the doorway with a moody looking Ellie in his arms. "Hey princess look who came last night!" He carried her over to the couch to see the presents wrapped in shiny paper with ribbons and bows. "Hmm looks like Santa overdid it with the wrapping," Tim murmured dryly.

Ridley folded her arms and gave Tim a slight frown as she watched and waited for Ellie's reaction. The young girl looked confused for a moment before she let out a giggle. Ridley gave a relieved smile at this and quipped, "will we see what Santa brought you Ellie?"

Chris lifted his camera out of his bag and obligingly took photographs. Tim wondered sardonically if it was the first time the man had taken pictures of something normal. It was widely known in Vegas that the detective kept a scrapbook of photographs of bizarre crime scenes.

"One wonders why Santa even wraps the gifts," Tim continued cynically as he sat on the edge of the sofa whilst Ridley plucked up a gift and began to unwrap it before Ellie, leaning forward so that Ellie could tug at some of the paper.

Ellie waved the paper around with a giggle, laughing and clapping her hands as she dropped it to the floor. When the toy was finally unveiled her eyes went wide with delight before she grabbed it off her mother and hugged it close. "Humpy Dump!" she exclaimed excitedly. It was a plush of the egg shaped nursery rhyme character wearing black trousers, a red waistcoat and shiny, silver boots.

"Easily one of the more bizarre things I've seen," Tim grumbled. "Why is my daughter obsessed with a humanised egg instead of princesses and ponies?"

"Stop complaining Tim," Ridley chided with a smile, "at least eggs are cheaper than tiaras and ponies."

"Yes but it's weird," he paused and looked at Ridley accusingly then, "hmm just like her mother, she gets it from you."

Ridley shook her head scornfully before helping Ellie unwrap some more presents.

Twenty minutes later found the young family settled in the living room as Ellie watched her new dvd of nursery rhymes while playing with her Humpty Dumpty plush and a noisy toy that involved numerous colourful buttons and flashing lights and Tim suppressing several curses. Ridley sat on the couch beneath a blue, fluffy blanket sipping eagerly at a coffee whilst Tim hunted out his present for her. Chris had dismissed himself to the kitchen in an attempt to make eggs for everyone.

Ridley accepted the badly wrapped silver package from Tim with a small, grateful smile. "You didn't have to," she chided him.

"I know but I wanted to," he murmured as he leaned forward to give her a brief kiss on the brow.

"Your present is by the tree somewhere," Ridley murmured as she gestured to the tree with one hand before she started to open her gift. She tore off the paper carefully to reveal a large, thin, black box, which she then opened to see a gold choker styled necklace of tiny golden beads and droplets with a gold crescent moon for a pendant. "Tim it's beautiful," she murmured in awe as she ran one finger over the crescent moon lightly.

"Good," Tim said with a satisfied nod, "I hoped you'd like it."

* * *

In the Duquesne household Christmas had begun at ten in the morning with cheerful, festive music and Calleigh singing as she cooked pancakes with Eric's help. By the time the pancakes were ready Calleigh's father had awoken to an alcohol induced headache and stumbled tiredly into the kitchen seeking painkillers and coffee.

Eric tried to hide his disapproval as he eyed the man. Everything about him seemed to reek of failure- his slouched stance, the stains on the shirt that was sloppily donned with half the buttons undone, his tangled, greasy hair, the bristles on his chin and, of course, the cliché odour of whiskey and beer. Try as he might Eric could not reconcile himself with the fact that was the man who had given him Calleigh, the pair seemed to have so little in common. For the sake of his girlfriend however he was prepared to make as much of an effort as he could.

"Merry Christmas Mr. Duquesne," he greeted warmly.

Mr. Duquesne looked back at Eric with mild displeasure before catching his daughter's frown from behind her boyfriend. "Kenwall please," he said stiffly. He then let out a yawn and rubbed the back of his head with his left hand as he wondered how his daughter's relationship with a half-Cuban of all things had bloomed right under his nose without him ever noticing.

"Sit daddy," Calleigh urged chirpily as she stepped round Eric to take Kenwall by his right arm gently. She guided him over to the round, white kitchen table and placed him down on one of the chairs, which was white and wooden like the table with a heart shaped back. "Eric and I made some pancakes," she said happily.

Eric grinned, finding Calleigh's smile as contagious as ever, before he hastened to grab the plate with the pancake stack on it. He placed it down in the centre of the table as Calleigh carried over plates and cutlery.

"Coffee daddy?" the blonde queried.

Kenwall was now looking at the red radio accusingly as Christmas music continued to blare from it. "Sure thing lambchop," he said, forcing a smile to his face as he swallowed down the urge to demand the radio was turned off. His head seemed to pound every time the word 'Christmas' was sung out on the radio and he found himself clutching at his tense, burning brow with his right hand before he could help it.

Eric placed some syrup and cream down on the table, his grin widening as he thought of how just moments ago Calleigh had teasingly flicked some cream off a spoon and onto his nose before kissing it off. Even now, over two years into their relationship, he found himself pausing in disbelief. It was hard for him to accept that Calleigh Duquesne really was his girlfriend, and a serious one at that. Though they had not officially moved in together he knew it couldn't be long, he had been spending the majority of his nights in her house after all and had a spare toothbrush, shaver and underwear stored here. Calleigh had also gifted him with his own towel and sponge.

"Have you another tension headache?" Calleigh asked politely as she lifted cups down from the cupboard. Ordinarily she wouldn't pretend, she always felt it much worse in the long run avoiding issues like her father's but it was Christmas and just once she wanted to forget his tendencies to drink more than necessary.

Eric only just kept the frown from his face as he took a seat opposite the lawyer. He didn't approve of the blonde ignoring the obvious reason for her father's headache. 'Couldn't she even lead up to it subtly? It's not a crime getting drunk over Christmas after all,' he thought to himself. The fact was they didn't know where the man had gotten drunk or who with or under what circumstances he had chosen to leave whatever bar or house he had been in. He had shown up drunk in the back of a taxi at half eleven last night babbling something about one girl or another. Calleigh has hastened him to bed in the spare room whilst Eric had paid for the taxi.

"Hey Calleigh are you seeing that Speedle guy today?" Kenwall queried suddenly.

Calleigh let out a giggle whilst Eric immediately looked suspicious. The swarthy male knew that Speed was up to something connected to Calleigh and her father but of course he and the blonde were guarded about the matter and despite Eric's prying neither had been willing to reveal much. "Don't be silly daddy," the blonde answered as the kettle finally clicked off and she started to pour the hot water, "it's Christmas Day, Speed will be spending it with his family."

"Of course," Kenwall replied hastily as he smiled, "silly of me. I was just wondering you know..."

"Daddy when he knows anything so will you," Calleigh assured as she brought his cup over to him.

Eric thought about asking what Speed should know anything about but he resisted, he knew his prying would only annoy Calleigh and he didn't want that, especially not today.

"Anyway," Kenwall murmured after taking a deep gulp of his coffee, "as you've said it is Christmas so what are your plans? Are you seeing your mother?"

Calleigh looked to Eric helplessly as she remained standing clutching her own cup close with both hands. They were meant to be going to Eric's parents for Christmas lunch. Eric's mum had been adamant about it; she and his sister Marisol adored Calleigh and always seemed to delight in the blonde's company. "We're having lunch with Eric's family," she admitted at last.

"Ah, very good," Kenwall murmured even as he noticeably sagged at the table.

Eric bowed his head to his pancakes to hide his frown. He knew what he should do but he also knew it would be a terrible idea that he would be quick to regret. He could feel Calleigh's pleading green eyes burning into him though and knew she would be miserable and worried at lunch if she thought her father was spending it alone and thus was more likely to drink himself into a depression. "Would you like to join us Mr...er Kenwall?" Eric queried as he looked up at last to smile across the table at Kenwall.

"Oh no, of course not," the lawyer dismissed with a shake of his head.

"It's no trouble," Eric insisted, "my mother always makes plenty of food and it is open invitation." That last bit was a lie but the man was hardly going to come if he thought he was intruding on a private family lunch.

Kenwall's bloodshot eyes rolled down to his coffee and then back up to Eric as he considered it. "It wouldn't be proper," he muttered.

"It will be fine, you're practically family anyway," Eric forced himself to say.

Calleigh beamed from ear to ear at that, rewarding Eric with a look of warm gratitude as she did. "Join us daddy, we'd miss your company if you didn't," she said cheerfully.

Kenwall looked over to her as if trying to spot the lie but only sincerity and hopefulness showed in her emerald gaze. "Alright," he gave in reluctantly.

"Great," Calleigh chirped as she finally came to sit at the table, occupying the seat beside Eric. She sat down her cup and squeezed his right hand under the table before turning to smile at him once more, her thanks clear on her face.

They continued their breakfast cheerfully, Calleigh singing along to most of the songs that came through the radio whilst Eric just laughed and shook his head at her infectious cheerfulness. Once breakfast was over Kenwall dismissed himself back to the spare room to rest before lunch whilst Calleigh and Eric headed to the living room to exchange gifts.

Calleigh blushed brightly and felt her heart flutter slightly when she pulled the purple bow and gold wrapping paper off Eric's gift. It was a small, black box and her right hand quivered just a little as she hastened to open it. "Oh Eric it's beautiful," she marvelled. It was a ring, not an engagement ring, but a beautiful band of rose gold that resembled interlocking leaves, with a warm pink morganite stone in its centre that was cut to resemble a rose and almost seemed to glow.

"It's corny," Eric admitted even as he bowed his head to hide his own pink cheeks, "but I just...well I saw it and I thought of you because you're my rose, oh man," he laughed awkwardly at himself, "I really am verging on corny. Speed would slap me if he were here."

"Well that's because he's a cynic," Calleigh retorted as he placed it on her middle finger on her right hand, "I think it's wonderful." She looked up at him and leaned in to give him a deep, warm kiss. "Honestly, it makes my gift look pretty poor to be honest."

"I doubt that," Eric answered sincerely.

Calleigh hunted around the table before grasping his gift and handing it out to him. It was a small, box shaped object in reindeer patterned paper with a shiny, blue bow stuck on it. Eric continued to grin dopily as he still tasted the syrup on Calleigh's lips on his own whilst he opened his gift. It was another small, black box which he was quick to open. It revealed a single, silver key with a gold, ovular, metallic tag attached.

"It's the key to this place," Calleigh explained softly, "my place, only I want it to be our place. I mean it seems to work here right? And we're happy here, well I think we are and well...I want you to move in Eric." Her cheeks had turned a shade of maroon now as she clutched at her thighs with both hands, grinning widely though her eyes gleamed with nerves.

Eric plucked the key out and stared at it wordlessly, silent with shock. Realising that Calleigh was probably misinterpreting his silence he finally looked up at her. "Calleigh, this is great," he informed her with delight, "I'd love to live here with you."

"Well great then!" Calleigh enthused with a laugh before she leaned forward and wrapped her arms closely about him.

Eric laughed too as he embraced her before kissing her.

* * *

It was just after one when Eric, Calleigh and Kenwall arrived at the Delko household for Christmas lunch. Eric was noticeably nervous as he knocked on the wooden front door, shoving his hands in and out of his pockets as he waited for someone to answer. This was meant to be Calleigh's first family dinner with his family, it was a little weird having her father tag along and he didn't know how his mother would appreciate having another mouth to feed with no warning.

The door opened and his mother, Carmen Delko, greeted them with a warm smile. "Merry Christmas," she said jovially. She was an elegant woman, swarthy skinned like her son with a short, chestnut bob, though there was a beauty to her appearance there was a terrible strain to it too. Wrinkles at her brow and stress lines tugging at her mouth were a mere hint of the suffering she had endured many years ago in her homeland of Cuba.

"Merry Christmas Carmen," Calleigh retorted happily. "Let me introduce my father, this is Kenwall Duquesne," she said as she gestured to her father with one hand. "Daddy's plans for Christmas got cancelled at the last minute," she explained, "and we were hoping it wouldn't be too much of an imposition-"

Carmen raised her right hand, instantly cutting off the blonde. "Don't be silly," she assured as her smile widened, "it is Christmas after all and we must spend it with family. Please, come in."

Kenwall held a hand out to the woman and she accepted it politely. "Thanks for having me," Kenwall said swiftly, his embarrassment faint in his green-grey eyes.

"It's a delight to meet Calleigh's father," Carmen assured. "I'm Carmen Delko by the way, shame on my son for not introducing us," she added as she gave Eric a disapproving frown.

Eric wilted slightly before his mother finally stepped back to allow them entry.

The Delko household was lively as two of Eric's sisters, one brother-in-law, a niece, and a nephew had all shown up for Christmas lunch. The sounds of happy children's laughter trickled down the hallway from the living room mixed with the television, and music coming from the kitchen.

Carmen Delko rubbed her hands briefly on her faded, white apron before escorting the group to the living room and then dismissing herself to resume attending the food.

"Uncle Eric!"

Eric grinned as his six-year-old niece Martina and seven-year-old nephew Robbie rushed over to greet him with wide, brown eyes. Robbie's eyes were quick to flicker to the bags Calleigh was laden down with in either hand whilst Martina held her hands up to her uncle, eager for a hug.

"Merry Christmas kids!" Eric greeted them cheerfully before crouching down to hug his niece close.

"Merry Christmas guys," Eric's eldest sister Julia greeted. She was seated on the couch beside her husband Robert, slouched into it with a faint, weary smile as her eyes darted from Calleigh to her father.

"Merry Christmas Julia," Calleigh retorted happily. The blonde got the introductions of her father over with hastily before she started handing out the gifts to Martina and Robbie.

While waiting for lunch, Calleigh busied herself playing with the children whilst Eric discussed sports and jobs with his brother-in-law and Kenwall sat on the chair in the corner quietly, trying to hide the fact that his head was still sore and he would rather be at home alone in bed with the television and a whiskey for company.

It was when lunch was finally served that Kenwall made the acquaintance of Eric's stern faced father Pavel and another sister, the beautiful but reserved Marisol. Marisol greeted them all with smiles and enthusiastic well wishes but Calleigh thought the woman looked a little drawn, and Marisol's mother was unimpressed by how small her servings were.

It was during the happy meal that Eric's mobile went off.

"Eric Delko really!" his mother was swift to chide. "You should know better than to have that thing turned on at the dinner table!" Her sharp gaze turned vicious when Eric actually tugged the mobile out of his pocket.

"Eric," Calleigh chided softly as she elbowed him.

"It's H," Eric murmured. He glanced up at the table sheepishly, wincing at his mother's scowl before he dared to do the unthinkable. "I'm really sorry mother but I have to take this, it could be important."

"At Christmas," Carmen grumbled, "I shouldn't think so."

Eric stood up anyway, knowing that it was going to cost him dessert at the very least, and hastened from the room and into the hall. "Hey Horatio," he greeted calmly, "Merry Christmas."

There was silence as Horatio faltered with his greeting, as if he had actually forgotten it was Christmas. "Hey Eric," he finally spoke, his voice sounding tired and sombre.

"What's wrong?" Eric pried, knowing it couldn't be good.

"Listen I know you're busy and I haven't tried Speed yet but Ridley was out last night with a case," Horatio began, "so I don't want to ring her. Look, we've had a triple homicide and it bears some similarities to the Ouija board case."

Eric was stunned for a moment before he started nodding despite the fact that Horatio couldn't see him. "Similarities how?" he queried.

"An open Bible at the scene, the quote I think they fancied was Exodus 29:1- 'Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them to minister as priests to Me: take one young bull and two rams without blemish', I haven't got all the details on the victims yet but if their star signs are Taurus and Aries I wouldn't be shocked. They were in found in a dorm room at Miami East Side College. Look I respect that you're probably too busy for this, but we're short staffed today and this case could be a breakthrough to the Ouija one."

"I'll help H," Eric was quick to offer, "but I...I don't have my car," he admitted. "Look I'm at my parents' house for lunch with Calleigh, if you could get me."

"Are you sure?" Horatio queried.

"I'm sure, I'll explain it to them, they'll understand."

"Okay, text me the address and I'll come get you, and thanks Eric."

Eric hung up and texted his parents' address to Horatio before going to break the news to the others. His mother was unsurprisingly angry and his father looked unimpressed but Calleigh, to his eternal gratitude, was understanding about the matter and only too happy to remain with his family and her father. Eric suspected if not for her father she would have undoubtedly insisted on joining them.

When the doorbell finally rang it was Marisol who heard it as Eric and the others were in the living room and unable to hear thanks to the volume of the television. The pretty brunette, who had been in the bathroom, hastened up the hall as the bell rang to answer the door.

Horatio tugged off his shades, a little surprised to see the beauty who was standing in the doorway looking up at him inquisitively with a polite smile. "Hello," he greeted calmly, "I'm Lieutenant Caine, Horatio Caine, is Eric here?"

"Wow I finally get to put a face to the name," the brunette retorted brightly with a teasing smile. "You know Eric talks about you all the time." Her large, brown gaze turned tender as she added a little more softly, "what you did, leading him to his career, it was a wonderful thing. I always told him he was wasting his potential as a tow truck driver but he didn't believe it until he met you."

"I...I'm glad to hear that," Horatio retorted quietly, slightly confused over what to say.

"Oh." The woman's cheeks turned a beguiling shade of pink and she dipped her head slightly as her eyes twinkled with embarrassment. "Sorry, I'm being rude, my name is Marisol, I'm Eric's older sister."

"Ah, well now I'm glad to have your approval then," Horatio said warmly with a small grin. "Although I suppose I won't have it for long given I'm taking Eric away from his family lunch."

"A man dedicated to his work, I can't be too mad at you for that," Marisol retorted brightly. "Anyway, won't you come in?"

Horatio shook his head politely. "No thanks, I'm already disturbing your family as it is without completely intruding."

Marisol laughed at that and shook her head. "I'll admit my mother might not greet you with smiles but you couldn't think that you would be an intruder here Lieutenant Caine, not when you helped get Eric on the right career path, never mind all those other times you've been there for him and helped him." She smiled again as Horatio gave her a questioning look. "He doesn't always say but he is my brother, I keep an eye on him even when he doesn't know it, and I'm glad he has you to watch his back. Give me a moment and I'll fetch him for you if you really won't come in."

"Thanks," Horatio retorted calmly though there was now a slight fluster to his appearance and he found himself slipping his sunglasses back on again.

It had turned into another bright, warm afternoon, a far cry from the Christmas cards' imagery of snowy, dark evenings, and to the redhead the day felt far from festive. He had been spending his morning alone, looking at an unanswered messages from Catherine and checking up on Will Maguire's whereabouts whilst simultaneously trying to make arrangements for the Warwick family whose Christmas had been completely destroyed. It was sad but he had almost welcomed the distraction of a triple homicide, almost.

Eric arrived behind his still smiling sister. "Hey H," he greeted warmly, hoping that Horatio could see he wasn't angry to be called out.

"Hey Eric," Horatio replied politely, "I'm sorry to have to take you from your family at Christmas."

"It's alright so long as you bring him back," Marisol chirped up, "maybe if you do we can get you in the door and get better acquainted," she added. She stifled a laugh when Horatio actually turned away and rubbed at his golden-red hair with his right hand, she knew it was a sign of embarrassment.

"Right," Eric said as he gave his sister a curious glance before stepping outside. "Keep Calleigh company Marisol."

"Of course," the brunette retorted kindly. She remained in the doorway, waving the men off until they were in Horatio's car and driving off.


	8. Chapter 7- A Day of Death

Eric frowned at the grizzly sight before taking his final photograph of it. Three college boys who should have been home for the holidays were lying dead in the living room of their shared dorm quarters. They were positioned in a circle around a battered coffee table on which a red pentagram had been crudely spray painted. All three victims were wearing shabby, brown robes and had been found face down against the pentagram. As the coroner, Alexx's cover Mr. Thomas McKinstry, had determined they had been slashed at several times with a large, serrated weapon.

The victims' Ids had been turned up pretty quickly. They were Brian Peterson, Micha Anza, and Stefan Vittone, and as Horatio had worked out Brian and Micha were Aries, and Stefan had been a Taurus. The revelation of their star signs had sent a thrill of unease through Eric, it could be a coincidence but at this point he was reluctant to hope for that.

"This is messed up," Detective Sanchez grumbled. He was covering the holiday shift, living alone he had no qualms with working it but now he was regretting that choice. Lately the Latin American was getting sick of unusual cases; he had thought the Warwick one the worst of late until now. How many young people had to die so needlessly and why? Why over the holidays? Who was gaining from all this? Worse, after Eric and Horatio had explained their latest theory after he had looked at them like they were mad when they had discussed the star signs of the victims, now he had to contemplate the possibility of a serial killer.

"You said it," Eric murmured as he lowered his camera. The blood had turned sticky and Thomas had determined the trio were killed during the night. They might have remained undiscovered if not for Stefan's now traumatised girlfriend, Kelly Mayer, dropping by to bid her boyfriend farewell before she drove home for Christmas lunch with her family.

The young woman had been hysterical by the time the police had arrived and taken off in an ambulance after Sanchez had hurriedly taken her statement. Of course it had made little sense and Horatio had made murmurings about visiting her later.

"Could it be the same people as before?" Horatio quipped calmly as he glanced from Sanchez to Eric.

Sanchez shrugged. "I don't know," he muttered darkly, "to be honest I've been trying to forget that case and it's not like we ever had any leads with it. Why wait this long though?"

"Maybe they wanted to make sure they'd gotten away with it," Eric suggested, "and when they did it made them cocky."

"Maybe the girls were the first time," Horatio mused, "and we know with killers it can take time before they realise what they have done and that they can do it again, or maybe they only feel the urge to kill every few years. Given the number of victims, it's quite the splurge."

Sanchez and Eric both grimaced at the lieutenant's choice of words. Sanchez shook his head angrily and grumbled, "this is her and her bloody curse."

"Pardon Detective Sanchez?" Horatio queried calmly.

Sanchez looked up at the redhead angrily and gestured his hands out to the scene. "Ridley," he snapped, "and the way weird shit always follows her. I never had so much crazy to deal with until I got partnered with her, then it was all Wonderland killings and Ouija boards and girls on Christmas trees." He shook his head again. "And it never ends well for her partners does it?" he remarked savagely. "One tortured and murdered, and one shot, Speedle's lucky he's still walking."

"Hey that's enough man," Eric protested angrily, "she's a good detective and she's not cursed, there's no such thing."

"Just unlucky then," Sanchez continued to complain, "well either way I want out of it."

"What?" Eric looked at the man with a measure of disgust and disbelief. "Oh come, she isn't even on the Ouija case anymore and she's not here right now!"

Sanchez shrugged. "She was on the Ouija case and you think it could be linked. Uh, uh, whoever or whatever these creeps are look at what they frigging do, and those girls, I had nightmares about those girls."

"Which is why you should make a point of trying to find out who it is behind all this Detective Sanchez," Horatio advised him, his voice still calm, "so you can stop them."

Sanchez just let out a heavy sigh. "Let's just wrap this up," he grumbled. "It might not even be a serial, could be a dumb copycat or a coincidence."

Eric nodded and finalised gathering evidence. He and Horatio had already dusted the room, inspected the other rooms, and bagged and tagged everything of potential worth. They had been here for three hours and everyone was impatient to go. The coroner and his aides, and the cops, who had all been tactfully pretending to be deaf during Sanchez' outburst, now hustled to move as Horatio finally gave the nod for the bodies to be removed.

"So why do three young boys mess around with a pentagram on Christmas Eve?" Horatio pondered aloud. Asides from the open Bible there were no other books in sight, nothing to explain the pentagram. There was a spray can of red paint in the bin, now in a sealed bag and ready to go back to the laboratory, along with some empty tins of beer.

"Hazing ritual?" Eric suggested. "Some Alpha, Beta nonsense maybe." Their rooms had indicated they were your ordinary college boys into football, half-naked women, judging by the posters, and drinking. There was nothing to suggest an interest in the occult, not even any horror movies on DVD, or evidence of friends or girlfriends with alternate interests. Knowing how weird and wonderful college could get Eric was ready to believe it was a joke or prank between the three but then, how did the killer know?

"How did they know about the Ouija board?" Eric suddenly wondered aloud.

"Pardon?" Horatio glanced at Eric carefully out of the corner of his eye.

"The Ouija board," Eric repeated, "we thought it was a coincidence the girls were messing with one when they were killed but what if it wasn't? I mean there's a pentagram here and they're in robes, is that a coincidence too?"

"So is it someone they both know?" Horatio queried dubiously.

Sanchez let out another sigh followed by a muttered curse. "We went through everyone who knew the girls were having a party, and we came up empty, remember? And no one knew they were going to mess with an Ouija board, chances were the hostess sprang it on her guests without warning."

"She did have it tampered with," Eric reminded them, "but someone must have known."

"Well we need a list of everyone who knew these gentlemen would still be in their dorm on Christmas Eve then," Horatio said lightly.

"We need to tell their parents," Sanchez grumbled darkly.

Horatio nodded at that agreeably.

It was the early evening before Horatio and Eric finally returned to the Delko household, tired and frustrated. They had gotten all the information they could for the day, knowing it would be a while before they had all the facts. No case had ever been solved in a day; sadly that wasn't how it worked.

Eric was just puzzled, what could the connection be between the high school girls and the college students? He considered that maybe the pentagram scene had been staged to throw them off course, maybe their killer had purposely put the boys in robes and spray painted the pentagram, but it was something they wouldn't know with any certainty until DNA results came back and they questioned people who knew the boys. He decided, privately though, that that had to be the case, it was too hard to believe that a killer knew the girls and their plans for an Ouija board ritual, and also knew the college boys and their plans for some ritual involving a pentagram. Plus, the boys just didn't seem the type. Eric knew how foolish that thought was, no one was ever what they seemed after all, but he just couldn't buy into it.

Eric knocked on the front door and glanced up at his superior tiredly. Horatio was ready to bid him goodbye before the door was opened but for some reason the words wouldn't come and the redhead found himself hesitating and looking to the door almost hopefully.

It was Julia who answered the door with a weary grin. "Eric, nice of you to rejoin us at last, is it even still Christmas?" she queried mockingly.

Horatio pushed his shades up his nose hiding the flicker of disappointment in his deep set blue gaze as he offered the woman a polite smile of greeting.

"Ha, ha," Eric retorted dryly. "H, this is my sister Julia, Julia this is my boss, Horatio Caine."

"Pleasure," Julia said politely as she stepped back from the doorway.

"Likewise," Horatio retorted. "Well Eric, I'd better be off."

Eric stepped into the doorway, turning to give his boss a smile of farewell until a voice piped up, "don't be rude Eric, invite him in!"

Eric turned at the voice to frown at his grinning sister Marisol as she manoeuvred herself between her siblings to grin out at Horatio. "Come on, it's Christmas and we would all like to finally get to know your boss."

"Er..." Eric faltered as he looked at his superior questioningly. He tried to hide his discomfort over the idea, bad enough having Calleigh's father to contend with at his family gathering but he couldn't imagine his boss joining in too. He liked Horatio and he respected him but Horatio was a professional friend to Eric not a personal one and he didn't believe it was a line that should be crossed as Horatio was still his superior at the end of the day.

Horatio shook his head politely. "It's alright Miss Delko, really, I have work to finish."

She gave a small, bright smile and said softly, "surely you can spare five minutes Lieutenant, please, I'm excited to meet you."

Julia let out an inappropriate giggle at that before she rolled her eyes and finally stepped back from the doorway. "You'd think you had never met a cop before Marisol," she mocked as she walked off.

Eric, knowing he had to say something, smiled at his sister tightly and said, "it was a big case Marisol, Horatio really does have to get back to work."

Accepting Eric's decision on the matter, even though it made him feel an odd pang of disappointment, Horatio awarded Marisol with a smile and nodded. "Maybe another time Miss Delko."

"It's Marisol," she insisted, "and definitely another time."

"Bye," Horatio retorted quietly, "and thanks again Eric."

"No problem H."

Horatio turned away from them and headed back to his car contemplating visiting his nephew. He knew Raymond was having dinner with Yelina's family, though she had no siblings there were cousins that she had been close with and Raymond's grandmother had mentioned going up to visit her brother and his children. Deciding that Raymond was probably still away, Horatio dismissed the idea and instead headed for home.

Marisol looked at her brother crossly as he shut the door but he just ignored her glare and followed Calleigh's tinkling laughter to the living room. He greeted the blonde with a wide, apologetic smile as she stood up to embrace him and murmur in his ear that he could tell her all later.

Their day wore on uneventfully with Marisol dismissing herself to bed early and Julia joking unkindly that it was because she couldn't meet the cop. Calleigh had been quick to query this and frowned when Eric had explained how Horatio had declined an offer to come in before lamely murmuring about their busy case. They had then spent a few hours playing party games with the children before Calleigh, Kenwall and Eric had finally headed back to Calleigh's house.

When they made it back to Calleigh's, Kenwall dismissed himself to the spare bedroom to watch television leaving Calleigh and Eric alone in the living room.

"You know your sister's lonely," Calleigh pointed out as Eric collapsed on the couch with a groan of relief.

"What?" Eric looked up at his girlfriend in surprise. He had been expecting some prying about the case today not remarks about Marisol's social life.

"Marisol," the blonde said pointedly as she pushed her golden hair over her right shoulder and looked down at him accusingly. "She doesn't have anyone."

"She's got her family," Eric protested as he reached across the coffee table for the remote.

Calleigh frowned. "You know what I mean Eric. I mean I was talking to her and she doesn't seem to have many friends."

"She's moved about," Eric pointed out, "she was up with Julia for a while, she's only just come back home to mum and dad these past couple of months."

"Well you should make an effort with her, invite her out with us."

"With us?" he quipped as he made a face. "Come on Calleigh, she's my older sister and it would make her feel like a third wheel."

"Not if we invite others, like Speed and Ridley, and Ryan and Horatio." She looked at Eric in puzzlement when she saw the look of disgust he gave as she named Horatio before he quickly hid it.

The half-Cuban gave a mocking laugh before retorting, "you really think Speed would go out on a night with Ryan there?"

"Alright, well what about Carrie and Maxine?" Calleigh queried as she stepped in front of the television purposely.

Eric shrugged. "Carrie's alright but I think Maxine has it in for Speed."

Calleigh sighed. "Alright, how about everyone except Speed?" she questioned sardonically. "Look, I just think it would be nice, for Marisol."

"Alright, alright," Eric said hastily as he gave up trying to see the screen past the blonde. "After the holidays we'll arrange a night out."

Calleigh gave a happy smile at this. "Good, now what happened today?" She took a seat beside Eric and looked at him expectantly.

He frowned before he told her about the case, including its potential connections to the Ouija board case though he deliberately left out Sanchez' minor outburst. Calleigh listened attentively, nodding and frowning at certain points until Eric had concluded the tale.

"So it could have been staged to look like it was related to the occult?" she surmised.

Eric shrugged. "I don't know, maybe, it's just a theory. I mean maybe they went to kill those girls, saw the Ouija board setting and took advantage and then thought an occult gimmick would be a good theme to go with. I really haven't a clue, I just don't buy into those college guys trying to summon some demon or whatever, or some person knowing that they were going to be doing it and also knowing the girls were going to be doing it. I mean, our only connection between the two cases really is the Bible passages, and no one even noticed that the first time round, it was only when Ridley mentioned her theory to me about the girls' star signs that I noticed the Bible at the scene."

It was late in the evening and Horatio had just wrapped up a call with Catherine. It had been complicated and a little bitter as she was still angry about his refusal to tell Ridley about Nick's state but then she had sighed, murmured that she understood even if she didn't agree and had half-heartedly mentioned a potential reunion on New Year's Eve. The redhead sensed a potential trap as he wondered if Chris had plans to invite Ridley, Speed and Ellie up to Vegas for New Year's Eve. He decided that Speed would resist it, suspecting an ulterior motive, and had informed Catherine that he would at least contemplate coming up to Vegas alone.

Alone, it was a word the redhead was quickly becoming familiar with. The holidays had never been easy, mostly he ignored them, and tried to treat them as any other day but of course Calleigh and Ridley wouldn't have that. It had been difficult enough trying to get through them after Ray's passing, and then again after Suzie had taken his niece Madison and left the city. He could understand that, Suzie and Madison had only ever presented him with problems, Suzie was Raymond's former lover after all, and a meth addict to boot, and Madison was the result of their illicit affair though she had been raised to believe that Suzie's abusive meth addicted husband was her father. Much as Horatio had loved getting to know Madison it had been difficult hiding her existence from Yelina. Then there was of course Yelina, with her gone now too the pain Raymond's loss had caused him seemed to have doubled. Yelina was, like Madison, a piece of his brother and a fond reminder of him. She had been more than that of course, much more but out of loyalty to Raymond, Horatio and Yelina had never ventured beyond friendship and now they never could.

He leaned back in his couch and his blue gaze flickered up to the photographs along his fireplace. Raymond and Yelina were both gone but he still had Raymond Junior, Calleigh, Eric, Tim, Ridley, and Ellie. He knew so long as they stayed happy and safe he could endure.


	9. Chapter 8- Revelation

January, a new year with new possibilities and yet it started with old cases and old secrets. Detective Moon was still trying to solve the murder of Annabelle Warwick along with the killings of Crystal Gunderson and Maria Valquez, the two whose heads had turned up in a sack with their entrails beneath the tree poor Annabelle's remains decorated. Tim Speedle, Horatio Caine and Ryan Wolfe were all helping to solve the case, Tim was the lead CSI on the house Annabelle Warwick had been taken from and possibly murdered in, Horatio was the CSI on the scene when the grisly remains had turned up, and Ryan was the CSI who Horatio had compelled to help Tim.

Ryan Wolfe was also helping Eric with two cases of multiple homicides, one dubbed the Ouija Board Killings and the other the Pentagram Murders. Their only links were thin- star signs and Bible passages, even the CSIs were willing to file those under coincidence rather than proof. Eric was more open minded about it than Ryan and Horatio, persuaded by Ridley who had noticed the star sign link in the Ouija Board Killings leading to Eric discovering the seemingly unremarkable open Bible at the scene.

Tim Speedle was also dealing with the Donner Case; a case Calleigh's father was involved in as the defendant for the suspect. Tim had turned up enough to suggest doubt and it was looking like he might soon have enough for the case to be appealed in court. This had caused much irritation to many involved, particularly Detective Sanchez and Ryan Wolfe, the detective and CSI respectively who had initially turned the case over for the courts, determining it closed. Tim's involvement had remained relatively quiet until he had startled unravelling the theory that one Misty Cardona had murdered her boyfriend Marius Mosqueda. It had always seemed suspicious given Marius was a known drug dealer and had plenty of people wanting him dead and Tim had to admit, if only to himself, that Ryan had made an effort to treat the case with an open mind and seek out all possibilities but the evidence just hadn't been there. Misty's initial confession certainly hadn't helped either but then she had recanted and Tim was quite willing to believe that someone had frightened her into her initial confession.

It was complicated enough dealing with all these cases but murder in Miami wasn't slowing up any time soon and the small team had found themselves dealing with suspicious deaths all round the city. In addition to that, Tim and Horatio were still trying to conceal Nick Stokes' involuntary burial, and Horatio was also trying to secrete Will Maguire's release from jail. None of this had been helped by Chris Cavaliere almost blurting out Nick's suffering to Ridley or Catherine Willows continuous offers to call up to visit Horatio, something he knew was really just a thinly veiled threat to come and seek Ridley's help with Nick.

It was easy in all this chaos to miss certain things. Calleigh didn't notice how often she seemed to be on Detective Hagen's cases or how Ryan Wolfe vied for her attention. Neither Tim nor Ridley noticed their babysitter Holly's growing crush on Tim. Ridley put Detective Sanchez's frosty attitude towards her down to her own exhaustion driven paranoia. Finally, no one noticed how lately Eric seemed to slip out of work irregularly.

Eager to find a moment of normality in the madness that was work Calleigh finally seized an opportunity to snatch Ridley up for a coffee break one classically sunny Tuesday afternoon.

"So how's it going living with Eric?" Ridley queried coyly. She clutched a Styrofoam cup of coffee in one hand and held it up to breathe over the opening in the lid softly.

"Good," Calleigh answered with a bright smile. "I'm still getting him used to the idea of putting his dirty clothes in one place and learning where the bin is but we're getting there."

Ridley smiled back though her gaze seemed slightly troubled. "I gave up on teaching Tim where the laundry basket is a long time ago. I just feel blessed that he can at least throw out dirty nappies without a struggle."

Calleigh let out a giggle at that before taking a seat at the aged, round table. There were in the break room of the Miami-Dade Headquarters, having just returned from a nearby coffee shop as Calleigh had wanted something better than dregs from Speed's twisted idea of coffee, knowing he had prepared the pot earlier in the day.

Ridley looked tired and yet she didn't sit, instead pacing round the room as she breathed repeatedly on her coffee and fidgeted with her phone with her free hand.

"What about you, Tim and Ellie?" Calleigh queried curiously.

"We're good," Ridley answered before taking a sip from her coffee. She fingered her gold choker lightly with one hand as she added, "you know he complains about Ryan Wolfe so much Ellie keeps getting confused and offering him the wolf teddy Horatio got her for Christmas."

Calleigh let out another giggle at this. "Hmm I wonder if Horatio bought that intentionally."

"I hope not," Ridley jested, "Tim keeps threatening to accidentally lose it but I've told him if he does that he can deal with the tantrums. Anyway," she paused and took a deep gulp before adding quickly, "Tim's going to have to just suck it up because Wolfe's got a bigger involvement in our Warwick case."

"Oh?" Calleigh looked at her friend curiously. She had known since bumping into Ridley that there was something on her friend's mind but she hadn't wanted to drag it out of her, preferring to be the friend who offered her a welcome distraction. If Ridley was going to offer her an explanation for her obvious unease however the blonde was happy to be a ready listener.

Ridley sighed and nodded. "Sanchez asked for a new partner," she confessed grimly. "I don't really know the details, he went about it formally, and Frank gave me the news. Obviously the case is still open and Sanchez is still on it but not so much with me. So," she paused to suck in a laboured breath, "Horatio has decided to increase Ryan's role since he's a cop first and CSI second, just like me, he thinks it will be good for both us. Meanwhile, Horatio will act as a go between, with us and Sanchez, not that he said it," she admitted, "but it's obvious that's what is going to happen."

"Well Sanchez is an ass," Calleigh said swiftly as she frowned, "and Ryan isn't so bad, he's just keen."

"I know," Ridley murmured, "but Tim already thinks of Ryan as his replacement and rival at work, I don't think this is going to help much, especially since this is his case too."

"Well he'll just have to suck it up like you said," Calleigh retorted firmly. "He's just being sensitive; I mean you know how hurt Eric acted because Tim got daddy's case and not him?" She shook her head scornfully. "Bruise their egos just a little and they take it as a mortal wound."

"Yeah I guess," Ridley retorted with a small smile. Truthfully she wasn't sure how to feel about Tim working the Donner case. She loved him for stepping in and helping out Calleigh's dad but she didn't think he needed the extra workload or the stress from annoying everyone involved in the case.

"On another note," Calleigh remarked brightly, "I've been trying to persuade Eric to bring his sister Marisol on a night out. She's a lovely young woman and she's only been back to Miami for a few months and she doesn't really know anyone. I thought it would be nice to bring her along on a night out with us, I was thinking we should ask Ryan too, make him feel a bit more welcome. Maybe Carrie Delgado as well, and Horatio of course, then it's not just couples. I was thinking about Maxine since I think she could be sweet on Ryan but er...well she doesn't seem to like Speed much these days and Ryan might be more than enough for him. Anyway, what do you think?"

"Carrie and Horatio, now there's an image," Ridley retorted teasingly as she finished her cup and turned to the bin.

Calleigh waved her hands up in protest with a splutter. "No!" she protested. "That's not...could you imagine?" She giggled again. "You know I actually think Marisol might have a slight...something for Horatio," she added awkwardly. "I told you about Christmas Day right?"

Ridley nodded. "Yep, Eric couldn't wait to get Horatio off the doorstep and his sister Julia kept making jokes about Marisol liking cops?"

Calleigh nodded. "And every time I breech the subject about inviting Marisol out and Horatio's name comes up Eric just stutters and changes the subject, he even left the room last time." She shook her head once more. "Honestly, I don't think Horatio would ever consider it but wouldn't it be nice to see him with someone? I mean after Yelina and even that never really happened, and now he's so caught up in either work or with Raymond that I don't think he has any kind of social life, and Catherine Willows hardly counts."

"I guess," Ridley retorted as she fidgeted with her necklace again. Here was another topic she didn't know how to feel about. It was odd because it wasn't like she had ever felt that way about Horatio and yet when it came to considering him with a woman Ridley felt oddly defensive about it, protective even. She didn't know what it was about the subject that made her so interested or uncomfortable; she just knew that even though it wasn't her place or business she couldn't help but care a great deal about whom the redhead dated. It was easy to ignore his liaisons with Catherine Willows they were so few and far between and Ridley knew nothing serious would ever come of it but the idea that he might eventually settle with someone properly just felt odd. She wanted him to be happy of course and she knew from visits to his house with Ellie that he was lonely even if he chose to ignore it but it was almost like she didn't think it was possible that anyone was good enough for him.

Calleigh gave Ridley a knowing smile as if guessing at her conflicted thoughts and the young detective found herself blushing slightly under the probing green stare. "Well, when shall we arrange it for?" Calleigh quipped.

"Um..." Ridley shrugged. "Well January's always a miserable month so any time soon would be nice, I know Tim and I both have this Saturday night off and I'm sure Holly wouldn't mind babysitting."

"Great," Calleigh enthused, "I'll see what Eric's working and we will go from there."

"Okay, well on that note I'd better head to the office and see who and what exactly our three victims had in common, so far we know they all attended the same school but at different points, it's a start though, gives us a whole faculty in common with them."

"Well good luck with that," Calleigh chirped as she stood up, "and don't forget your cookie." She lifted the large, chocolate chip treat and held it out to her friend.

Ridley accepted the snack gratefully before darting out of the break room.

* * *

On the other side of town Horatio was dealing with a problem of a more personal nature. He was sitting in the corridor of South Miami Middle School moodily awaiting an interview with the principal. Yelina had died in November and every Christmas since had been a struggle for both Horatio and Raymond. This year had been no better, so caught up in work Horatio had let the holiday pass him by meaning Raymond had had to suffer it with his grandmother and uncles and aunts he barely knew. Horatio didn't really know how he should have made it better for the young boy. He was almost thirteen; it was an awkward age for any boy and the age to begin testing their boundaries but with no parents and an absent uncle it was easy to see how he pushed harder at those boundaries.

The door finally opened and the weary principal greeted Horatio with a slightly wary look at the badge gleaming on Horatio's right hip. "Mr...er...Lieutenant Caine," he greeted awkwardly.

"Mister is fine," Horatio retorted with a thin smile as he stood up, "I'm here as a civilian."

"I'm Principal Holly," the chestnut haired man introduced himself. "As you know this matter concerns but Raymond but I have to ask, just to make sure our records are right, isn't Mrs Salas Raymond's guardian?"

Horatio's smile vanished even as he nodded. "We share guardianship," he explained.

"Should I have her called in too?"

Horatio shook his head. "She took Raymond home while I agreed to find out what's been going on, I'll fill her in later."

Principal Holly nodded before gesturing into his office with one hand. He walked in and sat down on a plush, brown, leather chair, relaxing now that he had resumed his position of power.

Horatio sat opposite him in a smaller, uncomfortable, wooden chair that he was certain was quite deliberately picked so that one felt an even greater sense of unease being in the principal's office.

"Raymond was brought to my office earlier this afternoon for fighting," Principal Holly explained wearily as he clasped his hands together on the desk, "it's not the first time I've heard mention of discord with Raymond but it seems to have worsened, this time it got physical. Now, no one was seriously injured and I have been given the opinion that all three boys involved were at equal fault but obviously I need to highlight it to all the parents er...guardians."

Horatio nodded calmly as he suppressed a sigh whilst thinking the man's slip was exactly the reason why Raymond was so troubled of late. His grandmother had confided to Horatio that the boy had grumbled about people calling him an orphan at school but there had been no development on the matter and he had refused to discuss it with his uncle.

"I know with Raymond things have been extremely hard and the school has provided counselling for it," Principal Holly continued. "Losing both his father and mother to such tragic circumstances is a heavy burden for anyone and with his guardian still in law enforcement I imagine that can only bring reminders and fear."

"You imagine," Horatio murmured dryly as he tried to hide his irritation at the implication.

Principal Holly, picking up on the redhead's annoyance, decided it was best moving swiftly on. "Raymond and the other students in question will all be receiving two weeks detention," he explained, "but given the circumstances the school feels this could be the start of a greater problem and we would like to avoid that. We would like Raymond to continue his counselling sessions and the teachers have been advised to monitor all three boys."

Horatio nodded. "That sounds fair," he retorted calmly.

The principal stood up. "Well I think we can conclude this meeting then," he said with a forced happiness to his voice, "and it was very good to meet you Lieu...er Mr Caine."

"Thank you," Horatio retorted with a faint smile, "and have a good evening." He turned and headed out of the office.

Horatio headed out to a warm evening and found the largely empty car park dappled amber with sunlight. If he had not been in such a grim mood he might have even appreciated the beauty of the milky blue sky and the neat row of palm trees guarding the car park. He tugged out his phone as he neared his car- there was a missed call from Catherine. He let out a sigh as he got into his car before dialling her back.

"Horatio," she purred down the phone, "how nice of you to return my call."

"How can I help Catherine?" he queried calmly.

"Well actually I don't need your help anymore, I just got into town and I was down at the Miami-Dade Headquarters looking for you and I was lucky enough to bump into Detective Moon."

Horatio felt the colour drain from his face at Catherine's words. "Were things so bad you had to do this?" he queried quietly.

"I'm afraid so," she answered coolly. "Believe me, we're out of options."

"Where are you?"

"Out for coffee at Detective Moon's invite, and she's just coming back to the table now."

"Catherine don't do this," Horatio implored, "especially not in public." The dial tone was Horatio's answer. The redhead let out a curse before thumping his steering wheel hard with one hand. He deliberated over what to do for a few precious seconds before he started dialling Ridley.

"Hey Horatio," Ridley greeted calmly, "what's wrong?"

"A potential update in the Warwick case," he lied.

"Well I'm out at the moment, with Catherine Willows in fact, she just got in from Vegas an hour ago," she informed him brightly.

"Ah, that is surprising," the redhead murmured. "I'm sorry to tear you away from that but this is important."

"I understand," Ridley retorted calmly, "where do you want to meet?"

"Back at the Miami-Dade Headquarters in my office will be fine," Horatio answered smoothly, "see you there in ten?"

"I'm twenty minutes away," Ridley retorted calmly.

"Alright, bye." Horatio hung up and started up his engine.

As the redhead drove he wondered what he would tell Ridley upon her arrival, he decided that he would confess it was a false lead, a misunderstanding by the police or something like that, better her being frustrated over a missed coffee outing than spiralling through her nightmarish memories of being buried alive. He knew he would have to meet Catherine after and nip this thing in the bud. He understood her desperation, hadn't he searched for all sorts of methods to help Ridley after her ordeal? He remembered her nightmares in the hospital and all the tears that had come after her release. Her rush of terror when she had come back from New York to them and how she had even once shown up at his house, nervous with a constant tremor to her hands. She had almost broken down at his doorstep, confessing how she was jumping at every shadow and terrified she couldn't be a cop again. He thought that if someone out there had suffered her ordeal and there was a chance that talking to them might help her he would have grasped at the opportunity. Just like Catherine he would have chased after them and never given up until they had relented and agreed to help Ridley.

It was as he pulled up to the Miami-Dade Headquarters that Horatio's phone rang. He tugged it out as he pulled into his parking space and saw Wolfe's name on the screen. "Yes Mr. Wolfe?" he queried politely.

"Hey Lieutenant, I'm down at the lab and I think I have a breakthrough with the Warwick case."

Horatio smiled, he wouldn't have to lie to Ridley after all. "Well I'm here now, I have to meet Ridley in my office first and then we will see you down in the lab."

"Okay, see you soon," Ryan retorted eagerly.

Horatio hung up the phone, exited his car and headed to the main building. It took him just over five minutes to reach his office and then a further thirty before Ridley finally joined him, fashionably late. Horatio had been tempted to ring her as he had pondered over her tardiness. Was it traffic or was it Catherine? Had she delayed out of politeness to Catherine or because she had received some troubling news from her? When she finally entered his office, quiet with a serious stare in her grey-brown eyes Horatio knew what must have happened.

The redhead, who had been pacing his office until he had heard her footsteps in the hall, paused to look at her calmly. He was unsure what to say, there were no tears, no fury in her stare, and no tremble in her hands but somehow he sensed the change in her and knew Catherine had told her about Nick.

"I know about Nick Stokes," Ridley did not keep him in suspense. Her voice was calm, no rage or hurt in it and it just perplexed Horatio.

"Catherine told you," Horatio murmured.

Ridley nodded. "What she could, she didn't get much time. I know you tried to keep it from me and I understand why," she said as she took a step towards him. A faint smile flickered across her face briefly. "I appreciate you trying to look out for me but it's okay, really, I...I'm still in shock over it and maybe when that wears off I won't be so glad I know but right now... Well I want to help Nick if I can because no one should have to go through that hell alone and yes, I know he's not alone but I also know he feels that he is and it's the worst feeling in the world." She swallowed hard. "If there had been someone who could have related to me I would have begged them for help. I would have wanted them to show me I could get through it because even with you guys there were some days when I really didn't think I would make it to the other side and some days I didn't even want to make it through." A shudder escaped her then and she was quick to hug her arms about her torso in an attempt to suppress it.

"Ridley you don't have to do this," Horatio retorted gently, "don't think because of what happened to you that you are obligated to."

"I know," she replied, still calm, "but I want to, Nick's a good guy and Catherine says they've tried everything else with him."

"Okay," Horatio gave her a small smile, "well you have my support whatever you do."

"Catherine said Chris know as well, obviously, that argument between him and Tim at Christmas..." She looked at the redhead quizzically.

Horatio sighed before he nodded. "Yes, Tim knows too and Chris wanted to tell you but neither Tim nor I thought it was a good idea."

Ridley smiled again. "You two are always trying to protect me, even after all this time and I appreciate it, I really, really do but if something good can come from it, if the hell I went through can help someone then maybe that will help me to deal with it better."

Horatio nodded again. "Well hopefully it will. So where is Catherine?"

"She didn't say where she was going or staying, we've exchanged numbers though, I told her I would ring her to meet up and continue our conversation but only after I've talked to Tim about it. You can come with me, I'm sure you'd like to see her again, right?"

Horatio's smile faded and he bowed his head awkwardly for a moment. "I suppose," he replied with a flustered look.

"So the Warwick lead, just a ruse to get me away from Catherine?" Ridley queried.

"Actually Wolfe does have a lead, he's down in the lab now."

"Let's go meet him then," Ridley said chirpily.

"Are you sure you want to do that now?" Horatio asked with a look of concern.

Ridley smiled at him again. "Still protecting me," she chided gently. "Come on, I think we would both welcome the distraction right now."

"That is very true Detective Moon."

* * *

Ryan Wolfe looked up eagerly when he heard voices just outside the lab and a glimmer of excitement sparked in his dark grey-blue eyes. He was desperate for a chance to impress Horatio, bad enough being the newbie but even worse being the ostracised member of the team in large part thanks to Speedle's hostility. Speedle's venom towards him made Ryan unsure what to make of Ridley, the few times he had worked with her she had been pleasant to him and the first time she had met him she had been welcoming. He supposed he would have to take her in good faith and hope she liked him regardless of Speedle's feelings since they were now going to be partners. It wasn't easy to forget though that she was Speedle's girlfriend and the mother of his child. Sure Maxine said Speedle was only with her because he had knocked her up but Ryan had high doubts about that, Ridley was one of the very few people Speedle managed a smile for after all.

"Afternoon Ryan," Ridley greeted politely as she and Horatio entered the lab.

Ryan tugged up his goggles and gave her a small smile and brief nod before his eyes darted over to Horatio.

Horatio and Ridley both looked to the burlap sack before Ryan recognising it as the sack that had contained the heads of three unfortunate women.

"So what are your findings Wolfe?" Horatio asked.

"I found some hairs inside the sack," Ryan explained, "and I ran some tests on them, they're dog hairs, specifically Rottweiler and none of our girls owned any dog or were in contact with a Rottweiler that we know of."

"So it was possibly our killer's dog?" Ridley quipped.

Ryan nodded. "That's not all; our sack also contained yellow and blue fibres." He gestured to the microscope he had placed a sample of the fibres under. "I'm not sure what they are yet, they're made from polyvinyl chloride with a metallic finish."

"It's a start," Horatio praised, "good work Ryan."

* * *

 _Oh wow guys you're still with me! Thank you so much for the lovely and positive reviews and for still being here reading this fic! Honestly it means a lot to me, it really, really does :-) As I keep saying this fic is a risk for me because I feel I need to become more familiar with Ryan Wolfe and Marisol's characters as I really want to write them faithfully, although I don't recall Marisol being in the series much (shame)._

 _I hope you guys still like Ridley as an OC, I really enjoy writing her moments with Horatio I imagine they almost have a father/daughter relationship that was broken because of their dark history and now it's been built up into something special but Horatio views it as quite fragile because he feels he let her down twice._

 _I quite enjoy Eric being the one working the weird cases at the moment and I intend to bring in his relationship with Marisol into the fic more and tie that in with his relationship with Calleigh._


	10. Chapter 9- Family

Tim Speedle knew he was going to be in trouble as he hastened into the Miami-Dade headquarters. He had Ellie giggling in one hand, his black evidence case in the other and his ever present camera swinging uncomfortably from his left shoulder. He had stayed later than planned at Golden Oaks High School and had forgotten Holly was expecting him back at four. He had been an hour and a half late to return. Such was his haste to get his daughter and relieve the babysitter that he forgot to leave his findings back at the lab. This had involved driving like a madman through rush hour traffic, all the while cursing at the wheel until Ellie had started to chirp something that sounded a little too like 'shit' for Tim's liking. He knew Horatio would grill him if he took home evidence of all things and he sure as hell didn't want Ryan to gain an advantage on this case.

Ignoring the dubious stares, giggles, mutters and coos over Ellie, Tim headed to the lab as briskly as he could. It was there that he met the smirking Eric, taunting eyed Maxine and shocked Calleigh.

"Wow Speed isn't Ellie a little young for bring your kid to work day?" Eric queried mockingly.

Tim paused in a moment of breathlessness before swinging his case up onto a table.

"Cal Cal!" Ellie called out happily. "Eri!"

"Aww hey Ellie," Calleigh greeted brightly with a smile. The blonde stepped forward and gave Tim a worried glance. "Are you okay Speed? Something wrong with Holly?"

Tim shook his head as he tried to balance Ellie and unfasten his camera from his shoulder resulting in his left arm becoming tangled in the strap. "No," he muttered, "I was running a little late with work so I had to get Ellie that's all."

"Be careful she doesn't contaminate anything," Maxine chided with a roll of her eyes. Seeing the ice in Tim's glower the technician was quick to busy herself with her work. It was a cheap remark given they were nowhere near any evidence save what Tim had brought with him.

"Here, let me take her," Calleigh offered.

"No it's fine," Tim murmured as he finally shrugged his camera off onto the table with a loud thud as it banged against it clumsily. "Daddy's got you, right princess?"

Ellie clapped her hands in agreement as Tim finally embraced her in both hands before wincing slightly. "And you've got something for daddy too apparently," he grumbled.

Eric's nose wrinkled slightly and he immediately stood back with a shake of his head. "That smell's enough to contaminate the place," he jested.

Tim frowned before a sigh escaped him. "Well I'd better sort this and find her mum, she should be finished her shift soon," he grumbled. "Can you guys watch my stuff while I er...deal with this and try to locate Ridley? Hopefully she's not far, it's just I've got to process some stuff but obviously I can't do it with Ellie."

"Of course," Calleigh replied warmly.

"Great, thanks." Tim turned with Ellie as her face started to contort in frustration and a moan that signified the start of tears escaped her.

"He really doesn't make that look easy," Eric murmured as he watched his friend go.

"Well it's not," Calleigh retorted as she too watched Tim depart with Ellie. "I think him and Ridley really do overwork themselves mind. She said they should have this Saturday off to go out with us so hopefully that will help a little."

"Yeah hopefully," Eric replied as he looked at Tim's case and camera curiously. "I wonder where Speed was today."

Tim, not wanting to risk anymore humiliation within the building, instead chose to change Ellie's nappy in the back of the car. He thought he had gotten away with doing it without witnesses until a voice called out from behind him.

"Tim what on earth are you doing here with Ellie?" Ridley demanded as she looked to Tim in confusion. The sound of Ellie's frustrated moans had given her concealed presence away to her mother.

"Mama!" Ellie squealed out happily.

Tim winced slightly before he turned with Ellie in both hands and manoeuvred to shut the car door behind him. At least he could hide the fact that he had been changing Ellie. Seeing Horatio standing beside Ridley he was swift to banish his apologetic expression for a more calm and professional one. "I've got evidence to process," he confessed, "but Holly had to go."

Ridley swallowed down a sigh before giving her daughter a loving smile. "What evidence?" she queried. She had spent the early part of the afternoon going over photographs of the Warwick household with Horatio, once again trying to figure out how the killer had entered. It was work she should have been doing with Ryan but he had been busy going over the Pentagram murders as Eric had had to slip out for a few hours and had only returned to the lab just twenty minutes ago.

"To do with the Warwick case," Tim explained. "I'm fairly certain I know what the yellow and blue fibres were in the sack."

Horatio and Ridley both looked intrigued at this. "Well what?" Ridley demanded impatiently.

"Cheerleading pompoms," Tim confessed, "I was at the school and I noticed them so I looked into it, all three victims were cheerleaders at the same school. Anyway, I've a few other things to process but I can't do that with Ellie, obviously." He looked to Ridley hopefully and extended his arms and Ellie out slightly in her direction.

Ridley frowned, letting her frustration show on her face. "Alright, my shift's finished anyway," she gave in, "but you better tell me everything."

"I will, I will," Tim assured.

"When do you need me to pick you up again?" Ridley queried as she accepted Ellie and hugged her close.

"I'll give you a ring," Tim murmured.

"I'm sure I could leave you home," Horatio offered.

"Well if you're sure H," Tim retorted with a grateful look.

The redhead nodded. "Now, let's go look at your findings," he suggested. "See you later Ridley, and you too Ellie."

"Hoto," Ellie responded brightly with a drooling smile.

"See you later," Ridley replied softly.

"Thanks," Tim said warmly as he gave Ridley's brow a brief kiss. He then rubbed Ellie's head gently. "See you later princess."

Tim and Horatio headed up the car park back to the lab, leaving Ridley to depart with Ellie. Once they were a sufficient distance away and Tim heard the familiar choked start of the Mustang's engine, he turned to face Horatio with a serious stare. "Ridley's going to Vegas in three days," he announced flatly. He was unsurprised when Horatio did not seem shocked, as usual using his sunglasses to hide his emotions from view. God how Tim hated those sunglasses sometimes. "But you know that of course," he continued sardonically in a moment of bitter humour.

"She asked for the leave," Horatio retorted softly. He wanted to Tim to understand it was no betrayal of him and not something Ridley had arranged with the redhead behind her partner's back.

"I know," Tim grumbled, "she told me first, that's not what I'm getting at. I don't want her to go obviously but that's not my point either, she thinks it's as much about giving herself closure as it is about helping Stokes. Look, I can't go with her; we can't make the bills with both of us on leave and one of us needs to look after Ellie. I'd be damned if I had her in Vegas distracting Ridley in all that mess."

"What is your point then Speed?" Horatio pried gently, though he thought he could guess at it.

"You need to go with her," Tim answered bluntly. "If it can't be me it has to be you Horatio. You are the only other person in the country who knows how bad it was for her, maybe this will help her overcome it a bit better but we both know the risk of a breakdown is just as likely and I would never forgive myself if she was alone in Vegas dealing with that. Look I hope to God this helps her but I don't think she'll ever completely get over it, how the hell could she, and I don't want her alone if it goes the other way. No one in Vegas could understand, they weren't there when she got pulled out of that grave and they don't know about Hawkes, they don't realise..." He trailed off, unwilling to voice the darker parts of his girlfriend's past.

Horatio nodded calmly as they reached the main entrance doors. "I'll go with her Speed," he retorted reassuringly with a small smile.

"Good." Tim gave a blunt nod before turning his gaze ahead and hastening into the building.

They returned to the lab to sort through Tim's latest findings with a curious Calleigh and Eric. After twenty minutes Calleigh got called away to another case and Ryan arrived to go through the Pentagram Murders with Eric.

Tim and Horatio discussed Horatio and Ridley's latest findings as well as Ridley's finally admitted theory over the killer mimicking Springheel Jack. It was a theory Horatio would have dismissed quickly had the murders or disappearances rather of the other two women, Crystal Gunderson and Maria Valquez, not given it some merit.

Crystal Gunderson had also seemingly vanished from a two storey house with little evidence to suggest a break in. Her husband had been out of town for the evening, returning that early morning to find Crystal vanished. There was evidence that their bed had been slept in and their maid, who had slept downstairs that night in the spare room due to Mrs Gunderson having a fear of being in the house on her own, had reported no signs of a disturbance. As there had been little evidence of a crime save for a couple of security cameras not working it had sadly been dismissed by the police until her body had shown up, meaning what evidence there had been was long cold.

Maria Valquez on the other hand had lived in a cheap apartment complex in a questionable area of the city on the twenty-third floor. Despite the shoddiness of the complex the cameras in the hallway of her floor, installed after a few murders and drug dealings in the building, had been working the night of her disappearance. She had gone in the night, taken while her two housemates had slept on, blissfully unaware. There had been blood left in her room and evidence of a struggle yet no evidence of a break in as the housemates had recalled waking to find the main door into the apartment still securely locked. Reports of a nearby tall, eccentrically dressed man in black wearing something like a cloak or long coat that one drugged out witness had suggested, with a smile, as being like batwings had been readily dismissed by sceptical cops on the scene.

The three women had all attended Golden Oaks High School years apart, Crystal had graduated ten years ago, Maria five and Annabelle had of course still be in attendance until now. It was their only link but it was a link and exactly what the CSIs had been waiting for.

"We need a list of staff there during all three's term time," Horatio murmured.

"Already done," Tim retorted as he produced the list. "I'm just about to run them to see who might have a record they've tried to conceal. Apparently the gym teacher, Mr. Reynolds, is a known pervert, course that's strictly verbal and there's no suggestion of unwilling pupils. The history teacher Mr. Gamble is a known eccentric as is the art teacher Miss Lopez but that probably goes with the territory. I don't think either of them would be running about with spring heels or bat wings, if anyone even is doing that but I got photographs of all the classrooms anyway, just in case they're stupid enough to be working on their er...costumes at work," he said with dry humour.

Horatio gave Tim a look of pride as he smiled at him. "Great work Detective Speedle," he praised. "You run the names through Kodis and I'll go over the evidence of break ins at each house, or lack of rather. I think though we need to consider Ridley's theory a bit more seriously too."

"The girl who saw the bat man and the shadow men, and Violet's demon," Tim murmured. "I just don't see how more people wouldn't have noticed that."

"Well it is Miami, there are weird and wonderful things in this city every night," Horatio retorted. "Some people dismiss the obvious as too obvious, plus these people were all in black in the dead of the night, like any would be robber might be, and how many robbers are missed?"

"True," Tim replied reluctantly. "I suppose they're trying to throw us, think we've some mad spook acting a serial killer when it's just a regular nutcase with a grudge against some set targets. Well I'll go look into the staff then." He turned and headed off for the computers and access to Kodis.

* * *

Eric Delko sucked in a deep breath and checked his gun for the fourth time before he finally exited his car and locked it. He knew what he was about to do was both stupid and risky and if it went wrong no one was going to find him out here because no one knew to come looking. Not that he wanted anyone to come looking because if he was caught by his friends here it could be worse.

He glanced at the collection of rundown apartment blocks dubiously before glancing about the neighbourhood. There were a few suspicious characters- three teenage males to the left and two scantily clad women across the road and to the right but Eric didn't think any of them were likely to pose a threat to him. He hastened across the road and in through the main entrance of a grey block that was sadly becoming familiar to him.

He scaled three flights with ease though it was hard not to halt at the middle aged woman sitting near the stairwell on the second floor mostly definitely suffering under the influence of something illegal. He detested himself for hastening on but he just could not risk it and this was the third time he had spied her in this condition, it was evidently not a one time thing and he highly doubted his influence would be enough to help her break her habit.

He halted outside a scratched wooden door with the number 33 hanging lopsided on it. He knocked it twice then paused and knocked once more before announcing gruffly, "it's Estevez."

There was the sound of some scuffling on the other side followed by a chain jingling before the door was opened partially and a beady eyed, balding Caucasian male looked out at him. "Welcome," he greeted bluntly before shutting the door to unfasten the chain.

The door opened again and Eric was granted entry to an obvious drug dealer's den. It was a living room littered with drug paraphernalia, porno magazines, empty drinks tins and bottles, crisp packets, sweet wrappers and other questionable items that turned up regularly at crime scenes involving drugs. Mercifully, and this was a stretch, there were no needles, this dealer claimed to avoid the hard stuff and keep things clean. Eric knew the image well and had never imagined that he would become a part of it from the other side of his badge.

"You know what I want," Eric grumbled.

"Sure," the balding male retorted with a nod as he tugged out a cigarette and a lighter. "You got the money?"

"Yes," Eric retorted as he reached slowly into his jacket's outer left pocket and tugged out a handful of bills.

The man eyed him coolly as he lit his cigarette and then pocketed the lighter. He glanced at the money, nodded and took a draw from his cigarette. "Alright, wait here," he retorted calmly. He shuffled off to another room leaving Eric to nervously linger looking about his surroundings.

This was normal procedure, if one could call this normal, but Eric was always wary of the potential moment when someone either burst through the door on a raid or robbery, or the dealer came back and decided to murder Eric either for coin or out of suspicion. Eric was careful to come without his badge and ID but given his job he couldn't know when someone who knew this dealer might meet him on duty and then spy him in this neighbourhood.

Hearing the footsteps of the dealer returning he raised his right hand slightly, ready to draw his gun if necessary.

The beady eyed man returned armed with his cigarette and a small, plastic pouch of a crushed green herb ready for intake however desired. He held out his free hand expectantly and Eric handed over the cash. Eric then accepted the pouch and pocketed it in his jacket's inner pocket hastily.

"Pleasure doing business," the dealer remarked merrily.

Eric just grumbled, "see you." He headed for the door, hurried down the stairs, across the road and then into his car. He started the engine hastily and drove off. It was hard to caution himself to drive within reason, he just wanted to hit the accelerator and bolt as fast as he could but it wouldn't do to get picked up for a driving offence and done for possession.

It took him half an hour to reach his destination- his currently for sale, unoccupied home. There was a battered, second hand, red mini already sitting in the driveway, which he pulled up behind. He got out the same time as the owner of the mini exited and regarded him with a faint smile.

"Hey Marisol," Eric greeted his older sister gently as he fumbled for his keys before heading to the front door. She looked pale and frail to Eric though he wondered if perhaps he was just seeing her that way because he knew she was very sick. After all no one else in their family had guessed at her condition yet.

Eric opened the door to his former home and Marisol followed him through to the kitchen at the back of the house. Eric was quick to make sure there were no gaps in the closed blinds before he tugged out his recent purchase from his jacket and held it out to his sister.

"How much?" she queried softly.

"It doesn't matter," he retorted with a shake of his head, "as long as it helps. How are you today?"

Marisol accepted the small plastic bundle, opened her white, leather handbag and slipped it into the inner zip pocket before answering. "I'm alright; I've got an appointment later this afternoon." She grimaced slightly at the thought.

"You really should move back in with mum and dad," Eric suggested, seeing Marisol's look of revulsion he added hastily, "or me and Calleigh if you prefer."

"I wouldn't want to impose," Marisol said sweetly. "You and Calleigh have only just moved in together, you need to enjoy that experience. Besides, I'm putting you through far too much as it is." She winced slightly, waving off Eric as he reached out to her with a look of concern. "I mean given your career-"

"It's fine," Eric interrupted, "and I'm the one that offered. Anyway, I've got to get going, Calleigh's expecting me."

"I understand," Marisol retorted with a nod. "Like I said, you need to enjoy that experience."

Eric caught the look of sorrow in his sister's eyes before she could hide it. He could only imagine how she must be feeling, probably wondering how much time she had left in this world, if she was going to get well again, and regretting what she had not been able to do in life. The idea that Marisol was going back to an empty apartment to be alone with her thoughts made him fill with a deep pity. "Calleigh wants us all to go out on Saturday," he blurted out, "you should come with us, it'll be fun and get you used to the city again."

Marisol rewarded her brother with a wide smile before shaking her head. "I wouldn't want to impose on a couples' night."

"It's not like that," he retorted as he grinned back, "Ryan will probably be there, maybe Carrie and Horatio. Oh and if Ridley finds out Tim had Ellie in the lab today there's every chance Tim will be single by Saturday," he jested.

Marisol laughed softly at that. "Alright, I'll come."


	11. Chapter 10- Cops and Criminals

Ryan Wolfe thought he had finally been making headway in Miami-Dade, Delko was starting to socialise with him more openly, Ridley always smiled at him, Maxine was always happy to talk to him, and Calleigh had even invited him to join a group outing tonight. The newest CSI member had also had success with several minor cases. It wasn't enough however because he was having no joy with the Ouija Board or Pentagram Murders.

Worse, the spotlight was on Speedle and Ryan couldn't help the jealously that rose in him at that thought. Speedle had made the breakthrough with the triple cheerleader murders, he had found the link between them, and ran with it. Thanks to that and Ridley's canvassing about the school amongst teachers and pupils past and present they had gathered enough evidence to come up with a suspect. Ryan had tagged along with some of those interviews as Ridley's newest partner but despite having more experience as a cop in Miami than she did she was still his senior and he had largely played the role of writing the statements rather than asking questions.

Initially, the History teacher, the janitor and an ex-gym teacher had all stood out as potential suspects but they had all alibied out for at least two of the murders. Ridley had been forced to go back over statements with Tim and Horatio to notice the less obvious in interviews with pupils and staff. Sure everyone had been quick to single out the whiskey loving History teacher, the anti-social janitor and the perverted ex-gym teacher who was fired for suspect activities with minors but they had also added throwaway statements about the art teacher Mr Mackenzie. No one statement had stood out but collectively they formed a story. For example, there were the cruel jibes from the chain smoking physics teacher Mrs Martinez about how Mr Mackenzie was the one to ask about cheerleaders since he had always been a target of theirs when he had been a pupil at the school. This had been with Mrs Martinez around the same time Crystal Gunderson was a pupil.

It hadn't been easy to get the warrant, only when they had dug deeper and learned of Mr Mackenzie's ex-fiancée Paula Cox who had allegedly left him for a woman had the warrant become reachable. They had been unable to track down Paula to confirm the details but rumours had led them back to Maria Valquez's apartment where her roommates had confirmed she had had a girlfriend called Paula for a brief spell just a couple of months ago. The final clue had been the discovery that Mr Mackenzie owned a Rottweiler, after putting that all together in a report they had gotten their warrant.

Ryan had been able to help search the premises with Ridley and Speedle but he had felt like a tagalong despite being the one who had discovered the Rottweiler hairs and the blue and yellow strands that Speedle had identified as remnants of pompoms. How the hell was Ryan supposed to guess that one? It had just been luck that Speedle had gone to the school and not Ryan.

It had all been smooth going after that, a thorough search of the house had turned up round Velcro pads perfect for attaching to hands and feet for climbing walls, a long, black trench coat cut at the bottom as if to resemble batwings, and a demonic Halloween mask, which explained Violet talking about a demon. Most importantly, they had also found hair clogging the bathtub that later proved to be Maria and Annabelle's and finally, hidden in a secret compartment in the fireplace was a saw that bore bloodstains that matched Annabelle's DNA.

It had taken Ridley an excruciating combined ten hours to get the confession and an explanation for targeting Annabelle. After some legal wrangling with lawyers and help from Horatio it had finally come. Annabelle had been the straw to break the proverbial camel's back. Mr Mackenzie had claimed she had made a mockery of art to her friends and he had overheard her. He had grumbled that she had joked that teaching art was what one did when they weren't smart and finally, jested to her friends that no cheerleader would settle for a pathetic artist. Mr Mackenzie had snapped after that and decided to rid the world of the evil of the cheerleaders who had wronged him.

It was completely crazy and Ryan found it hard to swallow, sure he had heard worse but that didn't stop him from being disgusted every time he heard a new lame justification for murder. After that Mackenzie was handed over to the courts and Ridley went to close the case with the families of the victims. Ryan had accompanied her with that too and had, for once, been relieved not to be the one doing the talking.

The anger and hate Annabelle Warwick's family had bore for Ridley had been unpleasant to witness. Sure Ryan knew from experience that it was common and misguided but he still found it unfair to see the friends and family of victims lash out at the cops who had brought their killers to justice simply because they needed someone to unleash their rage upon. Mrs Warwick had shouted at Ridley for not finding the killer sooner, screaming about how he had managed to kill two other women before the cops had found him and that none of it could bring back her daughter. The fact that forensics and eye witness statements proved that Annabelle had in fact died last made no difference to her. Mr Warwick had been colder and quieter with his anger but no less cruel, snapping at the cops for their inability to prevent the dramatics at Christmas, and complaining that they were inept and lucky at best.

Ryan had cursed them out in the car after whilst Ridley had simply been calm and reminded him that they didn't do the job for gratitude. Ryan had been annoyed to see Ridley so calm until he had spied the exhaustion creeping into her brown-grey eyes and then quietly remembered her own troubled past on the force. After that he had simmered down.

Now here he was, shunted to the background as Speedle unwillingly took the glory for helping to close the case. Ryan's only constellation was that Ridley's role in the case had been largely ignored by their superiors as well as they were unwilling to have the infamous detective of weird cases thrust into the limelight once more. Ryan thought darkly that it was probably because if Ridley's role was publicised then the press would be quick to learn how her partner Detective Sanchez had ungracefully ditched her. Worse, they would publicise on the oddity of the entire business, highlighting the artist's flair for dramatics with his bat cloak and demonic mask, as much for show as for disguise. The man had been positively deranged and genuinely hopeful that the force would sooner be looking for a drugged out occultist before seeking out an art teacher for the crimes.

Ryan glanced at his watch, it was just after five and he had made little progress in the lab. He had been expecting Eric Delko to join him as the Pentagram Murders was his case but the half-Cuban had yet to appear. Ryan hadn't seen Calleigh to ask her about her boyfriend's whereabouts either, hearing that she was out on a case with Horatio and Alexx. So, for the past couple of hours Ryan had gone solo. Now he was contemplating a coffee break and wondering if he might get lucky and summoned to go on some police work with Ridley but then he recalled that she and Speedle were off for the afternoon as well as the evening. Two more days and his new partner would be off to Las Vegas for a few days. Ryan wasn't privy to the reasons behind that, all he knew about it was that Horatio was going too and it seemed more personal than business. Unconcerned, he hadn't bothered to pry into it.

The brunette sighed as he started to tidy up his workstation. His shift was due to end in a couple of hours, and then he would be heading straight home to get ready for a night out he was already regretting agreeing to attend. It had been impossible to say no to Calleigh's bright smile and cheery green eyes. Plus she had said that Horatio would be there and Ryan was eager for the redhead to see him as more than another lab rat. Still, he knew Speedle would be there and he wasn't eager for the predictable scowls and he knew Eric would go right back to acting like he barely knew Ryan with Speedle present. Alright, so it wasn't like Speedle demanded Eric play ignorant with Ryan but Eric seemed to do it anyway. Ryan had to admit, if only to himself, that it was more Eric's issue than Speedle's and that Speedle was probably only mildly irked at best by Eric being nice to Ryan. Speedle was after all apathetic about most things and even though Ryan could get under his skin, and took pride in it, Speedle wasn't exactly insecure about his friendship with Eric and he had a lot more pressing matters to worry himself with. The man worked all the time, so did his girlfriend and they had a young daughter to take care of. Ryan wasn't so vain as to think he mattered to Speedle with all that going on.

The former cop thought moodily as he tugged off his lab coat and hung it on the hook that it was a bit too much like high school for his liking. All this wondering and worrying over what other people thought of him and said about him. All of them scrambling to please Horatio like he was the teacher marking their exams.

Ryan thought with a tight, bitter smile that the girls were easily top of the figurative CSI class. He could picture Calleigh shining a red apple for 'Professor Caine', top of the class whilst Ridley shone as star pupil based on personality rather than academics. Ryan would never really understand that, Ridley and Horatio had an almost familial bond and he knew there was something between them that very few people knew about. Sure Speedle had to know and, Ryan suspected, Eric and Calleigh knew all about it too but no one else. He didn't think whatever it was, was necessarily good either. Judging from the subdued looks they exchanged and the way Ridley tensed and paled sometimes at something that to Ryan seemed ordinary, and Horatio took on that gentle look with her or even squeezed her arm in reassurance made Ryan think theirs was a dark secret.

Then, at the back of the class, were the boys. Speedle sitting in the corner with a frown, only half-listening to teacher whilst pretending that he hadn't lost his textbook and somehow, against the odds, scoring top marks even without the necessary research. Ryan's smile turned to a frown at the thought as he wondered, for the umpteenth time, if it was luck or skill with Speedle. The traces expert did seem to be one of those roll in shit and come out smelling of roses types. He was forgetful, apathetic, easily distracted and even lazy at times but he was smart too and he made his work in the lab look effortless sometimes much to Ryan's chagrin. Then there was Eric, seated at the back of class with Speedle making jokes whilst skating along somewhere in the middle. He was good at his job and liked by everyone but not standout popular like Calleigh, noticeably weird like Ridley or eternally moody like Speedle. Eric was Mr. Inbetween, easygoing with little issues in class. He was the one to envy most, sure he had a temper sometimes but it was no worse than anyone else's, he was down to earth, easy to talk to, polite and a people pleaser without being a kiss ass. Eric didn't always excel but he never struggled either, he just cruised along at work and in life with little trouble. Of course Ryan couldn't realise how wrong that image he had of Eric was or all the personal turmoil Eric was going through with his sick sister Marisol.

It was only as Ryan slipped upstairs to an empty coffee room that the realisation of his bitterness finally dawned on him. It was the reason why he had agreed to go out tonight and it wasn't just for Calleigh's smile. Ryan wanted in with this group; he wanted to be part of Horatio's 'class', one of the gang. He realised with a sorrowful pang that he didn't have that group and he hadn't for years, being a lone wolf in more than just name. It was easy to think with Ryan Wolfe's swarthy good looks and plucky confidence that he didn't struggle for friends or companionship but the truth was Ryan wasn't even sure he had one good friend never mind a group of them. It had been months since he had even went out for a beer with anyone and, as he recalled, that had been an open invite with the other cops in Miami and he had spent it lonely at the bar save for some polite chitchat amongst colleagues, not friends.

* * *

Tim leaned back slightly in the white sand trying and failing to hide his discomfort at being on a crowded beach. It was another glorious golden afternoon in Miami and whilst part of him would rather be anywhere but here another part of him couldn't think of anywhere better to be than right here.

"Dada look!" Ellie exclaimed happily as she waddled up to her father and opened her hand revealing yet another seashell.

Tim pushed his red tinted shades up and leaned forward to scrutinise it with a put on look of awe. "Wonderful princess," he praised.

Ridley glanced over her shoulder at her daughter through her large shades and frowned slightly before she held out a hand. "Ellie come here you need some more sunscreen on."

Eric, who was seated to the left of Tim, let out a chortle at this. "Didn't you just apply it five minutes ago?" he queried mockingly. He was leaning back, elbows deep in the sand as he surveyed the clear blue skies above from behind his brown sunglasses.

"She did," Tim answered dryly, "but Ellie's got her mother's pale New Yorker skin, no tolerance for the sunshine."

"Right," Eric joked, "always in the dark in New York aren't they?"

Ridley tensed slightly as she grasped Ellie and started reapplying sunscreen. "Tim's a New Yorker too," she finally said with a faint, forced smile.

Eric flustered slightly as he realised a mistake and shot Tim a guilty, apologetic look but before he could speak Calleigh did.

"So when are we going to get ready?" Calleigh queried brightly, swiftly changing the subject. She was seated on Ridley's right, both of them occupying the blue and green tartan blanket Ridley had brought.

Tim, Ridley and Ellie had been at the beach for almost two hours now. Initially they had been near the ocean so that Ridley could paddle in it with Ellie in her grasp but Tim had tired quickly of being so near other people and after an hour they had moved to the back to sit in the shade of the palm trees. Eric and Calleigh had joined them half an hour ago as Calleigh couldn't resist after wrapping up another tiresome shift and Eric had decided he could do with the distraction.

"Well you girls do tend to take hours," Eric mused, "so, based on that, we probably should have left an hour ago."

Calleigh pulled a face of mock scorn at this as she shook her head.

"Mama!" Ellie cried out impatiently as she tried to wriggle free from her mother and gestured outwards to her plastic bucket and spade.

Tim pushed himself upright at this as Ridley finally released the young girl. "What's this number ten?" he quipped wearily as he grasped the bucket and held the spade out to his daughter. Ellie grasped at the spade with a delighted giggle and started smacking it up and down on the sand with ecstatic squeals.

"Five really," Eric jested, "I wouldn't call all of them castles, you're not too good at making them Speed."

Tim frowned and shook his head even as he began to heave sand into the bucket.

"Let's help your daddy Ellie," Ridley urged with a smile as she steadied her daughter with both hands before guiding the spade down to scoop up some sand. "That's it," she praised as she then turned Ellie in the direction of the bucket and helped her hold out the spade and empty its contents into the bucket.

Ellie gave another giggle of delight.

"Good work princess," Tim said with a flicker of a smile.

"Well isn't this special."

Ridley turned rigid at the voice that mocked them whilst Calleigh looked up in surprise and Eric glanced up in mild anger.

Will Maguire stood just a couple of feet away from them eyeing Ellie with fascination. His cool blue gaze flickered up to Ridley and he gave her a warm, charming smile that sent a wave of disgust rolling through the detective. "Do the public pay for these little excursions?" he quipped tauntingly. "Or is the crime in Miami just at an all time low at the moment?"

Tim was on his feet before anyone could stop him. He lurched forward with a hateful glower, only just resisting the urge to punch the younger man's smug face. "Beat it," he growled out.

"Tim don't," Ridley protested softly though her stare was now back on Ellie.

Ellie was looking up at her father in wonderment, her bright brown eyes darting from him to the stranger. Eric and Calleigh looked equally puzzled, neither of them had had the pleasure of meeting Will Maguire in person and it had been a long time since they had seen his face. They both knew he looked familiar but neither could quite put a name to the face.

Will glanced down at Ellie with another grin. "She's cute Speedle, sure she's yours? I mean her mother fucked a lot of cops by all accounts."

Everything seemed to happen in a blur then. White sand kicked up in the air violently as Tim dealt Will a stinging punch to the right side of his face. Will was waiting for it and even though he felt the heat of the blow it did not stun him and he answered it just as quickly with a quick and painful kick to Tim's lower ribs.

Eric was on his feet just as swiftly, ready to help his friend though he didn't know what would be the best course of action. Ridley and Calleigh both shouted out protests as Ellie started crying in fright.

"DADA! DADA!" the young girl howled as Tim went to tackle Will and found himself shoved backwards into the sand.

Will immediately took advantage of his position, sinking his right elbow into Tim's throat to pin him down whilst his right knee pressed down on his torso and he balanced himself with his left hand and foot. "I got a lot of practice fighting in prison you know," he taunted as he leaned down, "you don't get a lot of chances if you lose in there."

"You're assaulting an officer," Eric informed him frostily, "do you want to go back to prison?"

Will's calm face snapped up to regard Eric with displeasure before he grinned once more. "He struck first."

"What the hell do you want Will?" Ridley demanded furiously as she glared over at him. Ellie was now in her arms, close to her chest, red faced and sobbing as she looked at Tim in terror.

"DADA! DADA! DADA!" Ellie continued to wail.

"Your daddy's fine princess," Will mocked, "if he even is your daddy. How old are you cutie? You know you look a lot like a guy I was friends with a few years ago."

"Shut up you bastard!" Tim snapped.

Eric, filled with fury, finally moved to drag him off. There was another flurry of sand as Tim, Will and Eric all struggled with one another and their cursing turned the air blue. By now they had attracted a large amount of attention and two officers on patrol were making their way over.

Will let out a snicker when the officers arrived in time to pull Tim back just before he could punch Will again. "Let me go, I'm a frigging cop!" Tim snapped angrily.

"Everyone just calm down," one officer said as he glanced about the group nervously.

"We're CSI," Eric informed him hotly as he gave him a glare making it clear that he wasn't going to surrender Will easily.

"I'm done anyway," Will mused.

"Done with what?" one officer, a blonde male, quipped with a suspicious look.

"Antagonising," Calleigh remarked heatedly. "Officer we really are CSIs and this man was just on his way."

"Really?" the blonde queried as he threw Calleigh a doubtful look. "Because it looks like we just broke up a fight."

"Nothing serious," Will retorted with a grin as he relaxed in Eric's grasp. "I won't be pressing charges."

"I might you no good fuck," Tim spat at him hatefully as he tensed in the grip of the brown haired cop who was holding him back.

"Don't be a sore loser Speedle," Will taunted him as he attempted to shrug Eric off. "Let me go, I'll leave quietly, I promise."

"You promise?" Ridley snapped hatefully. "And what's your word worth?"

Will's blue gaze returned to Ellie. "You know I'd swear there's a resemblance," he taunted. "You really should get a paternity test."

Ridley paled even as she trembled with rage.

"If he's going let him go," the blonde cop advised, "otherwise we're going to have to take you all in for statements."

Eric tried to catch Tim's eye for approval but Tim was fixated on Will, so he glanced at Calleigh instead. The blonde shrugged helplessly, unsure what the best course of action was.

"Let him go," Ridley muttered, "Ellie...needs changed." She knew her daughter had soiled herself and worse she knew it was from fear. The young girl was shaking worse than her mother as she continued to look at her father and cry.

Eric obeyed, ignoring the look of outrage Tim gave him.

"You fuck," Tim spat at Will, "you disgusting piece of shit-"

"Tim," Ridley interrupted quietly with a pleading stare, "take Ellie."

Tim's brown eyes fell on his daughter as he filled with self-revulsion. He had been humiliated in front of her, knocked down by this punk and with such ease! He gritted his teeth as he finally relaxed in the brown haired cop's grasp.

The cop released Tim with a wary look, tensing slightly when the dark haired traces expert moved. Tim hastened towards Ellie as her sobs began to turn hoarse. "It's alright princess," he murmured as he drew her close. "It's alright."

"Dada ouchie, dada ouchie," she babbled into him.

"Nah," he dismissed, "daddy's not ouchie, daddy's fine."

"Well, see you again," Will remarked before he turned and hastened off at a quick walk.

Ridley felt a roll of vomit rise up her throat as she watched him go.

"Are you sure you don't want us to get statements?" the blonde cop queried warily. "We can restrain him if you want."

"No," Ridley said with a shake of her head, "no more, please...shit no more." She hugged herself briefly, rubbing at her arms as she felt a sudden chill run up them despite the sun.

Calleigh finally snapped into action, opening her handbag and producing her ID for the cops. "See, Calleigh Duquesne," she introduced, "CSI, as I said. Look, don't worry about it, it's good that you came," she assured them as she forced herself to smile. "You know yourself, it comes with the job, you get friends and family of people you've convicted or accused or the people themselves coming at you without warning."

The blonde cop arched an eyebrow at this before glancing to Will's swiftly retreating from. "Is that what was going on?" he queried dubiously.

"Uh huh," Calleigh said wearily, "just another irritated ex-con coming to make accusations."

"We really should get official statements on this," the brown haired cop said with a worried frown, "for the record and if he is an ex-con and he was making threats..." He trailed off as he looked to his blonde companion with uncertainty.

"You've got my name, take a note of my badge number too if you want," Calleigh offered, "and if you want to follow up you can get me at Miami-Dade. Let's not do it now though, we're running late as it is and we'd like to get the child sorted." She gestured to the still sobbing Ellie with a sympathetic stare.

"Right, right," the blonde muttered. He tugged out a notepad and pen and jotted down Calleigh's details hastily. "We'll be in touch," he murmured before nodding to his partner.

"Thanks," Calleigh answered softly.

The blonde nodded again before the cops headed on their way.

It was in a subdued silence that the group gathered their belongings and hurried from the beach to Eric and Ridley's cars. Ridley said nothing as she packed up the car while Tim struggled to place a bawling Ellie into her car seat. Ridley didn't seem to hear a word anyone said, ignoring Calleigh outright as she finally got into the car and turned on the engine. There was just an odd ringing in her ears turning everyone else's voices to unclear mutterings. She pulled out of the car park when Tim climbed in barely giving him time to buckle his seatbelt and leaving Calleigh and Eric watching them with dismay.

Ridley maintained her silence as she carried everything into the house, leaving Ellie for Tim. She moved almost robotically, packing everything away before she finally halted in the hallway, her right hand raised up to the Hermes scarf Tim had bought her a few years back. She shuddered as she clenched tightly at the silk before she tore the scarf away violently and abandoned it to the floor. Her hand reached up again to trace against the faint pink scarring at her throat and she swallowed hard. There was no ridding herself of it, all she could do was push it down and conceal it but it would always be there. She continued on her way, busying herself about the house whilst Tim sorted Ellie.

It was only when the doorbell went that Tim finally realised how much time had passed. He looked at the creepy eyed bunny clock in Ellie's room, it was half seven. Knowing it had to be Holly he hastened to the door with Ellie in his arms. He wondered moodily if he should just send Holly on her way doubting very much that they would be going out tonight now.

Holly was taken back slightly by Tim's rundown appearance when he opened the door. His blue shirt was loose and wrinkled but that was no surprise, the white sand stains however were a little telling and his throat had a red mark showing in the centre. His hair was dishevelled, the way Holly secretly loved it, but the generous sprinkling of sand grains in it was a little off putting and almost like dandruff and he had none of his usual apathy but instead seemed more stressed than usual. "Evening Mr. Speedle," she finally stammered out as she wondered why Ellie wasn't cooing at her the way she usually did.

"Dada stay," Ellie murmured tiredly as she burrowed her head against her father's chest.

"Hi Holly," Tim greeted wearily as he stepped back from the door to grant the sitter entrance. "Come in."

Holly obeyed and Tim decided to take advantage of her arrival. At least if she was here he would have time to talk to Ridley properly without the distraction of Ellie. "Can you take Ellie into the living room a sec?" he queried hopefully.

"Sure," Holly retorted as she closed the door behind her. She reached for Ellie expectantly but the child only dug harder into her father. "Come on Ellie," Holly said brightly, "let's watch some Humpty Dumpty." That earned a hopeful glance from the child.

Tim handed her over, wincing slightly as she started whimper. "It's okay, daddy won't be far," he assured, "enjoy Humpty Dumpty."

Holly accepted Ellie despite her struggles and hastened into the living room with her before her whimpers could become wails.

Tim sighed, ran a hand through his dark curls and headed up to the bedroom where he knew Ridley was. He arrived in time to see her standing before the full length mirror in their room, hair soaked and towel wide open in both her hands as she glanced at her damp, glistening form. She frowned as she scrutinised herself, glancing pointedly at the many scars that racked her body.

"Holly's here," Tim said quietly.

Ridley glanced over her shoulder at him and gave a calm nod. "Good," she retorted softly, "you need to get ready."

"Ready?" he echoed with a questioning stare.

Ridley nodded. "He doesn't get to rule or ruin my life," she said firmly, "not anymore, none of them do. I've already messaged Calleigh assuring her that we're still going."

"Okay." Tim stepped up to his girlfriend, reaching out a hand to weave through her damp hair. "If that's what you want."

"It is."

He nodded and leaned forward to give her a chaste kiss. "You know I can't just let it go though, don't you?" he quipped as he pulled back.

Ridley sighed. "I didn't even know he was out," she admitted.

"No, none of us did," Tim retorted though he wondered if perhaps he was wrong on that account and one of them had known.

"Do you think it was a coincidence that he found us on the beach?" she queried quietly.

Tim shrugged. "I don't know or care; he'll not be coming near us again."

Ridley nodded. "Just don't break any laws Tim," she murmured.

Tim frowned. "I won't," he muttered. "Now," he pressed a hand against the scars on her stomach and stroked them gently, "stop scrutinising yourself, you know you're beautiful."

"It still hurts sometimes," she replied softly, "or I think it does but maybe it's just the memories of pain."

"I know." Tim pulled her close, slipping his arms under hers and embracing her about her back. "And I'll hold you close until it stops."

Ridley smiled as she pressed the side of her head against his chest. "Bump, bump," she murmured, "your heart's calm."

"Yeah, well I've got a wonderful girlfriend and daughter why shouldn't it be?"

Ridley's smile widened as she pulled back. "Get a shower Tim; I still have to decide what dress to wear."

Tim rolled his eyes at this. "We'll be all night waiting on you making that decision," he teased as he turned for the bathroom.


	12. Chapter 11- Remember to Enjoy Life

_Oh goodness sorry for the delay with this one guys! I was in hospital getting surgery so out of action for a few days. As always I really appreciate your reviews so keep them coming :-)_

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Horatio knew something was wrong; Calleigh and Eric were both trying too hard to pretend not to be tense but every time Eric thought Horatio wasn't looking he frowned a little and Calleigh got a worried glimmer in her emerald gaze. The fact that they were both thoroughly working their way through drinks was a big clue too. The redhead had tried to pry a little but they had fobbed him off. When he had asked if Tim and Ridley were still attending Calleigh's smile was so wide and Eric was so swift to nod that Horatio knew that the problem had to do with them.

Currently the Lieutenant stood with his back to the bar, elbows resting on the smooth, silvery glass top as he tried to appear comfortable but felt like the obvious third wheel. The redhead was lingering just to Calleigh's left whilst Eric stood on her right with his arm over her shoulders as they clinked their glasses together and laughed almost nervously. Horatio's eyes scanned across the room, subtly taking in the small cluster of people before they flickered towards the main doors. It wasn't even nine o'clock yet but already there was a queue forming outside.

Club Carousel had only opened last summer and was as exclusive as they came with a seemingly unending popularity as party goers came all year round and queued for hours for entry. Calleigh had picked it, determined to ensure their long overdue night out was as spectacular as it could be. She had persuaded Horatio into using his connections to guarantee they not only got entrance but VIP. It had been no easy task for the redhead but after the blonde had offered him one of her fey smiles and worse, exploited his closeness to Ridley and reminded him of the detective's love for carousels, he had made an effort to exploit some connections and get them on the VIP list. What Horatio had not bothered to divulge to Calleigh was that he had gotten the club owner out of a tricky spot once five years ago and that the manageress had been sociable with Yelena.

Just after nine Ryan finally hastened in with Maxine Valera who was looking like she had already bagged the prize of the night. Ryan had been relieved to find Maxine as he was still unsure about joining everyone tonight. He scanned the dance floor hastily before spying the trio at the bar and pointing over to them. Maxine's hazel eyes showed a flicker of disappointment at being unable to savour some alone with Ryan before she smiled at Calleigh and allowed Ryan to pull her through the crowd to the bar.

"Well don't you pair clean up nicely," Calleigh greeted brightly.

Ryan was in a simple, cream suit with a pale grey shirt. The heat of the club made him quick to regret his jacket and tug it off. He slung it over a chair until Eric shook his head at him. "I'd hold onto that," Eric advised, "we'll be moving up to VIP as soon as the others get here."

"Who all are we waiting on?" Maxine quipped calmly.

"Speed, Ridley, Alexx and Marisol," Calleigh answered.

Eric tugged out his phone and glanced at it quickly, there were no missed calls or new text messages. He was a little concerned that his sister might not show.

Ten minutes later Alexx arrived, clad in a figure hugging red dress that showed off her enviable figure and looked more classy than most of the club goers' ideas of outfits. Horatio excused himself to the bathroom shortly after Alexx's arrival just missing Tim and Ridley's entrance. The pair had come fashionably late as was typical for them.

Calleigh and Eric filled with both relief and concern as they waved their friends over to them.

Ridley paused for a moment to look about the club in wonder, grinning at the carousel horses standing at the edge of the dance floor and at the stairs. They were genuine, taken from carousels and touched up to look new. Some stood on stands out of reach but many were on the floor, tantalising close and ready for the inevitable photo opportunities and drunken debauchery of the club's patrons. There were photographs and paintings on the walls of race horses and carousels including Disneyland and Disneyworld's carousels with clips from the infamous carousel jockey race in _Mary Poppins_.

"Well this must be heaven for you," Tim murmured dryly to his girlfriend before he urged her on to the bar. He scanned it quickly for Horatio, showing a brief frown when he didn't spy the redhead.

Horatio stepped out from the bathroom just as a nervous Marisol finally entered the club cautiously. The young brunette seemed completely unaware of the looks she garnered as she stepped across the frosted glass tiles. She was wearing a Grecian styled, turquoise dress, which stopped just above her knees. It was low cut and held up with a band of gold and crystals that looped round her chest and split into straps over her shoulders and a belt at the waist that matched the straps. Her hair was down in loose, dark waves over her shoulders and her makeup was subtle, dark enough to hide her pallid skin with glittering bronzer over her visible flesh and a lip gloss turning her lips into a shimmering coral pink. She had accessorised with a pearl and gold, satin clutch purse and delicate looking sandals with crystal straps crisscrossing over her feet.

Horatio froze up as he spotted the older Delko entering the nightclub. It was impossible not to notice her. Seeing her look of uncertainty compelled him to move towards her though he felt a rare moment of doubt as he did. Would she welcome his attention or would he be unwittingly chasing off a more welcome suitor?

Spotting the taller redhead Marisol immediately greeted him with a warm, relieved smile that had him grinning back. "Evening Horatio," she greeted happily.

"Hello again," Horatio retorted calmly. He was unsure what else to say; feeling complimenting on her looks might be a little cliché and perhaps a tad forward.

"You look well out of work," Marisol informed him cheerfully, "grey suits you."

The redhead glanced down at his light grey suit as if for a moment he had forgotten what he was wearing. "Thank you," he murmured to his shoes as he flustered slightly.

"So where is everyone else?" Marisol quipped as she sensed his unease.

"At the bar," Horatio retorted as he looked back at the brunette. "I'll take you to them."

Marisol glanced about them at the ever expanding crowd before she seized his right hand suddenly. "Well let's get going before we're overrun," she suggested.

Horatio looked down at their linked hands and suddenly felt himself turn uncomfortably warm. "Right," he murmured before he led her on.

When they reached the bar there was no mistaking the look of suspicion Tim was quick to give Horatio or the way everyone else was swift to notice Horatio and Marisol's linked hands.

The redhead snatched his hand away quickly from the woman before giving everyone an awkward smile. "Shall we head upstairs?" he suggested.

"Good idea!" Calleigh enthused as she clapped her hands together.

They all stood up from the barstools and allowed the redhead to lead the way to the stairs. It was on the third floor that they were checked into the VIP area. It had a total of ten separate booths, each with soft, deep purple, velvet chairs, and a large, round table with a complimentary bottle of champagne already on ice. There was also a private bar, another dance floor exclusively for VIP and two carousel horses guarding each booth. The back wall was ceiling to floor windows with a set of doors leading out to a modest balcony outside that offered a generous view of the beach as well as a smoking area. Multi-coloured lights lit up the dance floor both from above, and from below the tiles that made up the floor, whilst the tables each had a mini chandelier above them.

"Not bad," Calleigh enthused as she grabbed Ridley's hand and immediately tugged her over to a booth in the middle. "Quick Ridley, we've got to get photos on these horses, you brought your camera right?"

Ridley nodded as she giggled. "Of course I did," she assured.

Eric was quick to match pace with his sister prompting Horatio to linger back awkwardly to give the siblings a moment. "I'm glad you made it," Eric assured Marisol.

Marisol smiled over at her brother gratefully. "Me too, thanks for inviting me."

Tim seized his chance to confront Horatio, stepping up beside his superior whilst Maxine dragged Ryan over to the bar with Alexx close behind them.

"Did you know Will Maguire was out of jail?" Tim queried sharply.

Horatio's cerulean eyes darted down to the traces expert as he wondered at the reason behind the question. He sighed as he realised now why Eric and Calleigh had been acting strange, Tim's question was too direct, there had to be a link. "Yes," he confessed.

"God damn it Horatio how could you not say anything?!" Tim hissed out angrily.

"I didn't think Ridley needed the worry," Horatio retorted sincerely. "He's on probation, he shouldn't be near her, it risks a probation violation."

"Well now she has the worry and if we'd had some fucking warning maybe she wouldn't," Tim snarled back.

Horatio gave the brown haired man a look of surprise. "Tim what happened?"

"He showed up at the beach today," Tim confessed. "Shit Horatio I should've known he was out, how the hell can I protect them if I don't know things like this!" His dark chocolate eyes darted over to Ridley with a look of concern. "He said all sorts of shit and he mentioned Hawkes, how's she going to go to Vegas with all that in her head?"

"She'll be alright," Horatio assured even as he gave the female detective a troubled look, "she's strong and I'll be there."

"Oh you'll be there," Tim scoffed sardonically. "Well you weren't there today and since you didn't feel the need to give me warning it didn't matter much that I was there."

"I'm sorry Tim I just didn't want to burden anyone else with the worry of Will," Horatio admitted. "Look, tell me what he did and I'll check into it, see if he violated his probation terms or if he can be given a caution."

"A caution," Tim sneered, "come on Horatio an asshole like that doesn't care about a caution. He means to cause trouble; he was there just to let us know he was out, to taunt her. Look, I get that you want to play father to Ridley but you're not that guy Horatio, and it's not up to just you to protect her, I'm her boyfriend, I protect her."

Horatio frowned slightly at Tim's astute accusation. "Alright, I won't keep anything else from you but you know yourself Tim that sometimes it is better to conceal things. I think Hawkes is a good example of that."

Tim bristled at the name. "Don't even go there Horatio, I swear I think about that bastard every night and I fear the day she figures out the truth."

"Me too, me too," Horatio answered softly.

The pair fell silent when Eric approached them. "You guys ready to get some drinks?" he queried happily. He paused and gave them both a look of curiosity as he sensed that he had interrupted something.

"Sure," Tim murmured with a nod.

"Everything okay?" Eric queried.

"As ever," Tim grumbled.

Eric clapped a hand on his friend's right shoulder and patted it twice. "Smile Speed, it won't kill you," he jested before turning him in the direction of the bar. "You too H," he added as he smiled up at the lieutenant.

The three headed over to the bar to join Ryan just as Alexx left for the table in the company of Maxine who was positively thrilled that Ryan had bought her a drink; sure he had bought Alexx one too but that was a minor detail the lab tech was determined not to linger on.

As the evening wore on the tension finally faded and the group relaxed and had fun. Calleigh and Ridley took numerous photographs on the horses and even enticed Marisol and Alexx into a few and Maxine into one.

Horatio tried to linger in the background whilst the younger members of the group danced, joked and drank with each other. It was while Eric and Calleigh were trying to drag Tim onto the dance floor and Ridley and Ryan were talking at the bar that Alexx joined Horatio in his vantage point at the back of the booth surveying the dance floor. It was now after midnight and the VIP section was packed and thriving with energy.

Alexx took a seat beside the redhead, sat down her champagne flute and neatly crossed her arms on the table. "You know the kids can take care of themselves once in a while," she commented teasingly, "you can let yourself have fun for a change."

Horatio's cerulean gaze snapped over to Alexx as he had the grace to look a little embarrassed. "Come again?" he retorted with feigned ignorance.

Alexx smiled at him before tutting and shaking her head in mock scorn. "I know how you feel," she reminded him, "if you're the father figure in our unusual family then I'm the mother hen."

Horatio's lip twitched as he resisted a smile. "Not Calleigh?" he suggested teasingly.

Alexx's eyes glimmered with joy even as she pretended to look annoyed at this. "Calleigh's tough but she's not quite there yet."

'No,' Horatio thought to himself privately, 'she's still daddy's girl at heart but that's not always the best thing.' He suppressed a frown and tried to shake that thought. Calleigh's father, unknown to her, had popped up on the lieutenant's radar more than once. It was all minor hints of trouble and misdemeanours, usually quashed before dawn with a few sly cash gifts but Horatio knew as well as anyone else that all it took was one serious slipup. The redhead wondered and worried when that might be as Kenwall Duquesne was showing no signs of trying to steer himself away from trouble.

Alexx gave Horatio a gentle nudge. "Look I get it, I do but we can't watch them twenty-four seven and if you spend your time constantly trying to protect them you'll forget to have fun with them once in a while. It's important to have fun with your family while you can."

Horatio nodded agreeably as he smiled back at Alexx.

Eric approached the pair before they could say anymore. He smiled broadly at Alexx and extended down a hand. "Dr Woods," he addressed her brightly, "you are looking too lovely to be left sitting here. Come and dance."

Alexx arched a dark eyebrow at this before she let out a pleasant laugh. "Eric honey I don't know how much you've had to drink but I do like your style." She accepted Eric's hand and allowed him to pull her up. She glanced back down to Horatio and said, "remember to enjoy the moments Horatio."

The redhead smiled and nodded as Eric tugged Alexx off to the dance floor. He was surprised when Ridley was revealed just behind them. The young detective regarded the redhead with a small smile. "Calleigh says this is your doing," she said as she gestured out to the VIP section.

"Well...it was her idea," Horatio pointed out, "I merely contributed."

"Well shouldn't you be enjoying it? You're the only one who hasn't danced yet," Ridley pointed out, "even Tim has, albeit unwillingly." She grinned at this and rested her hands on her hips as she held Horatio's gaze.

Horatio dipped his head slightly to hide his shy reluctance. He looked back up just as quickly, cleared his throat slightly and stood up. "Shall I be old fashioned and ask you to dance Ridley?" he queried softly, only just audible over the music.

Ridley's smile widened. "If I promise to say yes will it make it easier?" she retorted teasingly.

Horatio smiled and he nodded. He then extended out his right hand to her. "Can I have this dance?"

Ridley accepted his hand. "Of course you can."

Eric, Ryan and Calleigh all applauded jovially when Ridley brought Horatio to the dance floor. Ryan was red cheeked and beaming from ear to ear as he wondered when he had last had real fun like this. Calleigh and Eric had made it easy for everyone to just relax and chill out, the pair were equally warm, welcoming and friendly, and they had even made Maxine smile and joke a few times with them.

Tim stood at the edge of the dance floor with Marisol, drinking at a beer as he watched his friends dance. His annoyance for Horatio's secrecy faded as he watched the redhead stumble through a botched attempt at dancing to make Ridley happy. Hearing a giggle from Marisol he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and wondered at Calleigh's earlier implications of Marisol perhaps having an interest in the older lieutenant.

Tim finished his beer and disposed of the bottle swiftly onto a table before returning to Marisol's side with a thoughtful expression. He waited until the song finished and offered a small, brief flicker of a grin as Horatio released one of Ridley's hands in an attempt to leave only for Calleigh to seize it. Marisol giggled again as Calleigh and Ridley whirled round the dance floor with their embarrassed lieutenant.

"Maybe we should join them," Tim suggested to Marisol.

Marisol looked at the CSI in surprise. She knew of Timothy 'Speed' Speedle more from word of mouth via Eric than personal interaction. Eric always spoke of the traces expert with a great deal of fondness and Marisol had gathered quickly that whilst Tim was abrasive and not exactly a people person he was a good friend to Eric and Eric was lucky to have him. It was obvious tonight that there was something on Tim's mind and he was trying very, very hard to forget it. Sensing this prompted Marisol to nod in agreement even though she imagined for Tim going onto a crowded dance floor was comparable to hammering nails into his toes.

Tim led the way, moving towards the group quickly with a few grunts and frowns as he was elbowed and nudged a few times. When Ridley glanced her way he offered her a half smile and an awkward shrug. Ridley grinned back, her grin widening when she spied Marisol lingering behind Tim.

"I should rescue Tim," Ridley murmured to Horatio and Calleigh before she slipped free of them.

"And I should dance with Eric," Calleigh commented brightly as she spied Marisol as well. She released the redhead and gave him a none too subtle push in Marisol's direction before she hastened to Eric.

Ridley grabbed Tim's right hand with her left and gazed up at him lovingly before weaving her right hand through his dark locks. "You don't really want to dance do you?" she queried inquisitively.

"Hell no," he retorted sincerely.

Ridley laughed. "Alright, shall we go out on the balcony for a bit?"

Tim nodded eagerly at this before turning and pulling Ridley with him from the dance floor.

Marisol didn't even notice Ridley and Tim's departure; she was too focused on Horatio. His cerulean eyes darted about the dance floor as he took in everyone's location and deliberated about his next move until his stare fell on Marisol. He thought of Alexx's words and forced himself to take a bold step forward. It was only a dance, it was simple, harmless, so why then did he feel nervous?

Horatio wanted to speak but he didn't think he would be audible over the music and he was becoming very conscious of the fact that he was the only one on the dance floor not dancing. Marisol was moving to the beat effortlessly though her curious brown gaze remained on Horatio. She looked up at him shyly as he reached her and gave him a beguiling smile.

Horatio extended out his left hand but for a moment hesitated. Marisol glanced down at the half-extended hand and slipped her own into it before reaching for his other hand and pulling him into a light-hearted dance.

Calleigh was quick to direct Eric's attention away from the scene, turning them so that Eric was facing Ryan's awkward dancing with a young blonde. Eric frowned and tried to take the lead and redirect his and Calleigh's dancing route so he could see his sister but Calleigh just giggled and thwarted him with a kiss.

The dance was brief and yet it seemed to take it out of Marisol. Horatio was quick to notice the tiredness that seeped into her warm gaze and how she sagged a little towards the end. It deflated him a little as he wondered if he was so dull. "Shall we sit the next one out?" he suggested quietly.

Marisol nodded even as she smiled at him. "Yes, let's talk," she enthused. "I'd like to get to know more about you."

Horatio felt a spark of joy rush through him at her words. She wanted to know him better? Why? He nodded and hurried from the dance floor back to their booth.

Horatio and Marisol were afforded only a few minutes of privacy before a worried Eric finally escaped from the dance floor to the table. He wasn't even swayed by Calleigh suggesting they get drinks from the bar and made a point of sitting at the table. Calleigh, determined not to let Eric's overprotective brotherly nature ruin things, made a point of sitting beside him. It was awkward for only a couple of minutes before Ryan, Maxine and Alexx joined them. Eased by conversation, Eric soon let Horatio and Marisol slip from his attention and they were able to sink back against the seats and continue a more private conversation.

Tim and Ridley eventually returned from the balcony looking happy but tired. Tim's shirt collar was up, his blazer was askew and Ridley's hair was a little frazzled and her dress strap loose on her left shoulder. They returned to the table hand in hand oblivious to their telltale appearances.

"It's late," Ridley informed the group, "we need to go and let Holly go home."

Tim yawned and placed a hand over Ridley's shoulders. "And some of us are tired," he added. Feeling Ridley's bare right shoulder he glanced at it and quickly tugged her strap up onto it.

"You mean old," Eric corrected with a snigger.

"You'll know all about it when you have kids Delko," Tim retorted heatedly.

"There's a thought," Calleigh mused with a grin and a faint blush. She stood up and gave Ridley a close hug, temporarily pulling her from Tim. "I'm so glad you came out tonight," she said quietly in her friend's ear.

"Me too," Ridley retorted sincerely, "it was a great night, thanks."

They pulled back and Ridley and Tim offered a farewell to the group before heading for the stairs.

It was less than an hour later that the club began to close up and the rest of the group made their departure. Maxine was hopeful of sharing a cab with Ryan and he couldn't hide his relief when Calleigh pointed out that he actually lived nearer her and Eric and could share a cab with them.

"You'll come with us too," Eric insisted to his sister as Calleigh began flagging cabs.

"My husband's giving me a lift," Alexx remarked, "Maxine you're not far from us, we'll give you a lift home." She looked to Horatio questioningly. "What about you?"

"I'm not near you Alexx," the redhead retorted calmly. "I'm on the beach, remember?"

Alexx nodded.

"And I'm not near you Eric," Marisol pointed out.

"Well you're not getting a taxi on your own," Eric argued.

Marisol pouted slightly and shook her head crossly. "Eric I'm older than you, I can take care of myself."

"You and H could share," Calleigh piped up happily as she continued to wave at passing taxis.

"Marisol's not near the beach Calleigh," Eric was quick to dampen the suggestion. He gave his girlfriend a look of scorn.

The blonde just smiled back at him. "Just a suggestion," she said perkily. "Remember when we all used to go to the beach after a night out?" She sighed. "I missed those days and it's a lovely night too."

Horatio glanced up. "Clear skies," he murmured as he took in the beauty of the white, twinkling stars above them.

"The beach is beautiful," Marisol mused. "I never see it enough, especially not at night. Do you think the tide's out or in?"

"It should be out," Horatio retorted.

"Oh Eric there's a cab!" Calleigh squealed excitedly as one stopped. "Come on Ryan!" She grabbed Ryan by one hand and Eric by the other.

"Wait a minute!" Eric protested. "What about Marisol?"

"I'll be fine Eric, honest!" Marisol called after him happily with a wave.

"You'd better ring me when you're home!" Eric yelled back as Calleigh half-shoved him into the back of the taxi.

"That is one formidable woman," Alexx commented approvingly as Calleigh then pushed an inebriated Ryan in after Eric.

A horn honked drawing the medical examiner's attention to a red jeep pulling up to the kerb. "There's our lift," she said with a smile. She looked to Marisol and Horatio. "Are you two kids alright to get home?"

"We'll be fine," Horatio assured with a warm smile in response.

Alexx's eyes darted from the redhead to the brunette beauty and her smile widened a little. "Enjoy the moments," she said softly. "Good night, and lovely to meet you Marisol."

"You too," Marisol retorted sincerely, "both of you," she added with a nod at Maxine.

"Yes, good to meet you," Maxine retorted kindly, "home safe." She nodded to the pair before following Alexx to the jeep.

"And then there were two," Horatio murmured.

Marisol smiled up at him. "I'm tired," she admitted, "but I really don't want the night to end just yet, it's the most fun I've had in a while. Could I talk you into a midnight walk on the beach? Maybe sneak into a beach hut bar while we're there?"

Horatio suppressed a fluster and found himself nodding to his surprise. "Sure, it's a little after midnight but I'm sure we can work around that."

Marisol's smile widened as she seized his right arm with one hand. "Good, let's go, I don't think the beach walk is too far from here."

* * *

Dawn. Horatio didn't know how he had managed to stay out this long whilst being off duty. At work pulling long shifts came second nature to the lieutenant; in fact he relished it, welcoming the distraction. Of course after the death of Yelina and the birth of Ellie he had had to cut down so that he could help mind Raymond and Ellie. Still, the temptation of work always came strong for the redhead particularly when Raymond was having trouble at school or being particularly disagreeable with his uncle's idea of rules. Horatio would never forget when Raymond had once been out taking pot shots with a paint gun to impress his friends, one of whom had literally and ruthlessly frightened a hobo to death by shooting him several times with the paint gun. The worst of it was said friend and the rest of the group had all then pinned the crime on Raymond and it had taken a lot of digging for evidence for Horatio to prove that Raymond had in fact been the only to protest the crime in a failed attempt to stop it. Of course Raymond hadn't gotten off lightly, even though he had evaded the juvenile courts his mother and Horatio had both come down hard on him for being involved in the first place and not initially reporting the incident. Horatio understood that the boy was lashing out, testing his boundaries and attempting to rebel but Raymond, even now, didn't seem to understand that one screw up could have an effect on the rest of his life.

"It's beautiful," Marisol commented softly. She was stared out at the sparkling ocean, watching quietly as the sun rose up turning the sky a rosy pink and casting a golden sheen on the water below.

Horatio nodded as he followed her stare. It was tranquil, the beach was quiet, even the all night beach hut Marisol had brought them too was calm. There were only four other patrons, two were passed out at the back whilst the other two were caught up in the same serene moment as Marisol and Horatio.

The pair were seated at a round, iron table in the white sand in front of the bamboo and straw hut. A pitcher of water with a cute orange umbrella resting in it sat on the table between them with two cocktail glasses. Marisol had found it amusing to get water in such fetching glasses but the barman had merely shrugged and said it was all part of the service.

Horatio watched Marisol out of the corner of his eye as the sun continued to rise. She still looked lovely despite not having gone home yet but she looked drained too. It troubled the redhead as he didn't think the fatigue came purely from an all-nighter. Her pallor seemed almost grey and there was a sheen to it that Horatio didn't think came from heat.

"Well I suppose I really should go home," Marisol commented wistfully.

"We both should," Horatio admitted. "I have work later."

Marisol gave him a sympathetic smile. "You always seem to work, all of you."

"Well crime doesn't really slow down in Miami," Horatio pointed out.

Marisol nodded. "That's true. Still, not a lot of time for leisure, it's important to enjoy life too."

Horatio cocked his head slightly at this remark and gave her a small, faint grin. "You're not the first person to tell me that," he remarked.

"Ah must be obvious that you don't," Marisol retorted cheerfully. She pushed back a stray curl of her dark hair. "I guess it's hard to realise how little attention we actually pay to life sometimes," she added wistfully. "Anyway, that's too serious for sunrise I think. I've had a really great evening and morning, thanks for keeping company until morning."

"It was my pleasure," Horatio assured. His cheeks turned a very faint pink. "Um...Marisol could we do this again?" he queried awkwardly.

Marisol looked back at the redhead in shock. "I'd like that," she retorted sincerely as she smiled.

"Great," he enthused as he dipped his head slightly with a shy smile. "Well I have to go to Vegas soon for a few days but when I come back?"

"You can call me, I'll give you my number," Marisol answered.


	13. Chapter 12- Memories in Vegas

The strip was as beautiful and intimidating as ever. Ridley looked out the car window at the numerous twinkling neon lights with a hint of wonderment before she turned her attention back to her phone for the umpteenth time and fidgeted against the leather seat awkwardly.

Horatio glanced over at Ridley with a subdued smile as he saw her head tip down to her phone yet again. He understood her concern; it was the first time she had left Ellie after all. The redhead supposed it was the first time he had left Raymond Junior since becoming his guardian but that was different given Raymond didn't live with him. He felt another twinge of guilt at that thought, the boy was getting older by the day and was in desperate need of a steady, dependable male figure in his life.

Their driver, CSI Warrick Brown, glanced at them in the rear view mirror. The pair looked tired to the CSI and he admired their decision to see Nick before checking into their hotel. He was relieved to see them if only because they were running out of options with regards to Nick, and Warrick was willing to give anything to see his friend back to a semblance of normality. Nick was the optimistic member of their group, without his upbeat attitude work suddenly seemed ten times harder and grimmer. Now when they went to work Sara's jadedness and Warrick's realism won out and they had already assigned themselves to failure before they even began their cases.

It was another twenty minutes before they escaped the glitz of the strip and headed into Vegas suburbia. They arrived outside a modest looking single storey house with a small, neat, square patch of grass for a front garden. Warrick pulled his car up behind the black car sitting in the drive before he killed the engine and stepped out onto the stone drive.

Ridley sighed as she was forced to swap the cool, air conditioned car interior for the dead, dry air of the Nevada desert that managed to seep into the city. She stretched out, pushing her hands into her lower spine as she extended up onto her tiptoes slightly.

Horatio barely reacted to the heat as he stepped out calmly. Miami was always warm after all though it was admittedly more humid than Vegas. The redhead offered Warrick a brief, disarming smile and a half-nod, permitting him to lead the way.

Warrick hastened up to the off-white front door, which was in desperate need of a repainting, and pressed the doorbell. A shrill, electronic ring followed. After a couple minutes of awkward silence and staring around the porch they finally heard a voice call hoarsely, "who is it?"

"It's Warrick," Warrick answered loudly as he leaned against the door slightly to be more audible, "with Detective Moon and Lieutenant Caine."

There was the sound of chains rattling and several locks clicking before the door was finally opened. Ridley could barely hide her surprise at seeing what Nick Stokes had deteriorated into. When she had first met the young CSI he had been a well-groomed, tanned, good looking man who had easily fit the stereotypical bill of tall, dark and handsome, now he was a shadow of that. He had grown an uneven beard, his skin was a sickly white, his sunken, brown eyes were dull and nervous, his hair was greasy and in need of a trim and there was an unpleasant smell of stale sweat and desert radiating from him.

Nick barely seemed to register his visitors even as he stepped back to allow them entry.

"Hi Nick," Warrick said quietly as he led the way into the house. "I guess Catherine's running late again."

Horatio tensed slightly at the name. Warrick had informed them that the second-in-command of Vegas' CSI should be here but the redhead still hadn't figured out how he would or should react to her presence. He supposed he should be grateful for the reprieve thanks to her running late but now it meant she would have the element of surprise on him.

"Hello," Ridley greeted warmly as she offered Nick a faint, nervous smile.

Warrick headed for the living room. He paused in the doorway and shook his head. The room was in partial darkness but what he could see of it was not hospitable. Drinks cans, wrappers and dirty plates littered the room, dust clung to the furniture like a second skin and cobwebs decorated every corner. He did a u-turn, almost colliding with Horatio and gestured up the corridor. "Let's try the kitchen," he murmured, "I'm sure you two would appreciate a coffee."

They reached the kitchen but while the living room was cluttered the kitchen was bare. Warrick couldn't find anything in the cupboards- no coffee, no sugar and no alternatives. Worse, the fridge had a sickening odour seeping out of it and the few contents it bore had all expired. Warrick swallowed down a curse as he shook his head again. "I'll give Catherine a call," he informed the Miami pair, "how do you like your coffee?"

"I'll take a cappuccino," Ridley answered brightly.

"Americano suits me," Horatio retorted.

"Good, maybe she'll be nice and throw in some doughnuts too," Warrick jested as he tugged out his mobile and hastened back up the corridor.

Nick stood in the centre of the kitchen awkwardly, his eyes darting from the dusty window to the greasy floor.

"Sorry to impose like this," Ridley said gently, "Catherine said you would prefer a house visit."

Nick looked over at her vacantly. "How do you sleep?" he demanded suddenly. "Don't you feel suffocated in the dark? When you close your eyes don't you feel yourself slowly crushed in that box? Like you never left, like you were never found."

Ridley looked back at him in surprise; she had not been expecting him to be so forthcoming.

'Ridley never wanted to talk about it,' Horatio thought dryly, 'but here's Mr Stokes willing to volunteer.' He kept his azure stare on Ridley, already determining that if it got too much he would immediately terminate the tense reunion. He had already vowed this to himself privately before Speed had wrangled a verbal promise of the same from him. Horatio could see that Nick Stokes was indeed desperate for help but he wasn't going to see Ridley's well-being deteriorate in an attempt to aid him.

Ridley nodded at last even as she crossed her arms and looked nervous. "I...I didn't sleep for a while and then I only slept with medication," she confessed. "There were nightmares, all the time and sometimes I couldn't even tell if I was awake or dreaming or...or if maybe the escape was the dream."

Nick nodded numbly before he scowled and turned away to face the fridge. "Do you ask why?" he queried hoarsely. "Why you? Why your life went to shit?"

"All the time, even now," she answered pragmatically. "I assume it was because I was the detective on his case, he tortured and murdered my partner and felt I deserved the same fate." She sucked in a breath and stared at the floor.

Horatio tensed when he heard Ridley take another breath and then another. Every breath came deep and fast. "Ridley." He stepped forward and gripped her left arm gently.

Ridley flinched and looked up at her superior in horror before her grey-brown gaze melted into relief. "Sorry," she muttered as she pulled away from him. "I just, I wasn't prepared for this I don't think, not like this."

Nick turned suddenly to give her a savage look. "Prepared for this?" he snarled. "How can you prepare for this?" he demanded as he took a step up to her. "Did you really think you could say a few words and make it all better? I don't want to hold onto this, I don't!" He thumped his chest hard with his right hand as his brown eyes filled with tears. "I can't get it out of my head though! Light or air, air or light, like a damn experiment! Never one or the other, on and off, on and off, I had to choose the darkness." He shook his head as the tears escaped and trickled down his cheeks. "I had to choose it," he croaked out, "to keep breathing."

Ridley nodded empathetically. "I do understand," she reassured him, "and honestly, you're already coping better than I did by talking about it."

"Talking doesn't help," Nick grumbled.

"It does but you've got to really think about what you're saying and confront what happened to you, acknowledge it and own it," Ridley advised. "It's one thing talking about what happened to you like you're reciting a script, another to discuss it like you're living through it all over it again and yet another thing to talk about it as it is, something that happened to you, not something that is still happening to you." She pushed back some of dark hair and gave the Texan a small, tired smile. "Look I'll stay as long as you like and talk as much as you want but maybe we should bring some structure to the conversation. I mean, why don't we take a seat and you tell me how you're feeling right now, right in this instance?"

Ridley gestured to the round table with three wooden seats at it. Horatio caught Warrick's questioning stare from the corridor and nodded to him before he subtly slipped out of the kitchen to join the Vegas CSI.

"Catherine will only be another ten minutes," Warrick murmured to the redhead. He glanced back to the kitchen. "Should we leave them alone?" he queried.

"Let's give them a little space," Horatio replied quietly.

Warrick sighed and nodded again. "Alright but that means the living room and I really can't vouch for the sanitary conditions of that room."

Horatio smiled at this. "We've both known worse I'm sure," he said softly.

Warrick cracked a grin at this before he led the way back to the living room leaving the kitchen to Nick and Ridley.

During the tense ten minute wait Nick and Ridley barely conversed. Nick just mumbled that he was tired and had said all he wanted to on the matter for the evening. Ridley, equally tired, accepted his decision with a calming nod.

When Catherine arrived with some much needed refreshments they all regrouped in the kitchen. After another twenty minutes of idle chitchat Catherine suggested taking the Miami CSIs out for dinner for old time's sake.

"Why don't you come too Nicky?" Catherine suggested.

"No thanks," Nick was quick to dismiss the suggestion.

"You could do with getting out of this place," Warrick remarked critically.

"It can be good to get out," Ridley said gently before Nick could snap a retort. She met his worried gaze and gave a small smile. "He's not out there," she commented softly, "not anymore. I know how hard that is to believe but it's true and you staying in trying to keep safe when really you're just isolating yourself, that's letting him win. Look, we'll be in a crowd, all of us and none of us are going to let you out of our sight. Besides, it's easier to talk in a more upbeat environment. I always think it was easier for me to unload on the beach after a few drinks with Tim, Calleigh, Eric, and," she glanced over at Horatio fondly, "sometimes Horatio on a rare evening."

The redhead gave the woman a brief flicker of a smile before he nodded. He was very conscious of the questioning, lingering stares Catherine had given him. Although they were still on talking terms despite her going to Ridley against his wishes he didn't think it was something he was willing to forget. He was also certain that if Ridley and Nick's meeting backfired on Ridley in any way he was liable to never forgive Catherine for her involvement either. Then there was another matter, a memory conjured by Ridley's mentioning of time spent on the beach. A raven haired woman with soft, golden skin, a warm, contagious smile and bright, brown eyes that seemed filled with a secret happiness.

Nick sighed and scraped both his hands through his messy dark hair.

"Come on Nicky," Catherine urged sweetly, "they've come all this way and you know it's only right that we show them the town again."

"Alright," he muttered with a nod, "let me get ready then."

"We should probably go to our hotel and do the same," Horatio murmured.

"Well I'll take you there," Catherine offered as she stood up, "and Warrick can bring Nick and meet us for dinner."

"Where?" Warrick queried.

Catherine shrugged and smiled. "I'll give a Sam a call; see if he can fix us up on short notice. At least that way we can get privacy in an otherwise crowded place. I'll text you the details when I know."

"That'll do, see you soon," Warrick replied.

Catherine nodded and led the way down the hall. "See you soon," Ridley repeated Warrick's words to Nick. "Dinner will be fun," she assured.

Nick nodded but didn't reply as he watched her and the redhead go.

"It will be fun," Warrick echoed once they were out of earshot, "grumpy's not with them for a change."

"I thought you made up with Speedle," Nick retorted as he looked at the dark skinned male with puzzlement.

"I did," Warrick confessed, "but he is still grumpy. It's just his nature, ask Chris."

* * *

It was just after seven o'clock that Ridley rang Tim while waiting for Horatio to come and let her know that their lift had arrived. "Hey Tim," she greeted warmly when he picked up, "how are you guys?"

"We're alright," Tim murmured, "Ellie's refusing to go to bed as usual."

"Dada?" Ellie's voice called.

Ridley tensed at the voice and felt tears burn at her eyes. It was completely stupid and she knew it was but this was the first time she had properly been away from her daughter. "She's got Humpty Dumpty right?" she queried softly as she tried to keep her sudden grief from her voice.

"Of course," Tim replied like it was obvious, "and her wolf, and daddy's about to read Hey Diddle Diddle for the third time," he added dryly.

Ridley smiled at this. "I'm sorry Tim," she murmured, "I know it's hard and pretty selfish of me to do this but I-"

"It's not selfish," Tim interrupted, "and I can handle it. What about Stokes, have you met him yet?"

"Yes," Ridley answered, "and he's a mess but better than I was after...well after." She dipped her head slightly and thumbed away a tear from her right eye. "I really think I can help him and hopefully it will help me too."

"Hopefully," Tim repeated non-committantly. "Just promise Ridley that if it starts to go the other way you will come home without hesitation."

"I promise Tim," Ridley retorted.

The door started knocking and Ridley looked to it accusingly. She had barely had any time on the phone with Tim and had not even gotten to ask him to put Ellie on. "I've got to go, Horatio's here," she explained. "We're heading out for dinner."

"Okay, try not to have too much fun," Tim teased in a sardonic voice.

"Without you? Impossible," Ridley replied mockingly. "Anyway, I love you and tell Ellie I love her and goodnight."

"Sure thing, we love you too Ridley and remember, I'm only a phone call away, you need me to come get you, you ring."

"I will." The door knocked again and Ridley sighed. "Bye Tim."

"Bye."

Ridley hung up the phone and hastened to open the door to greet a dapper looking Horatio. "Sorry, I was speaking to Tim," she explained. She turned to the table by the door and snatched her silver and crystal clutch purse up from it.

"It's your first time away from Ellie, I understand," the redhead replied sympathetically.

Ridley nodded as she pulled the door closed and double checked that it was sealed securely. Horatio offered her his arm and she accepted with a smile and allowed him to escort her to the elevator. They were on the tenth floor and it did not take long for them to reach the lobby and escape to Vegas' night air.

"No way," Ridley gasped in awe as they stepped out of the hotel to be greeted by Catherine leaning against a limousine.

"Sam insisted," Catherine explained. "He's also insisted we have a VIP dinner all expenses paid."

"Who's Sam?" Horatio quipped.

"Sam Braun," Catherine retorted, "a family friend." She stepped to one side and gestured to the open limo door. "Shall we?"

Ridley didn't need to be asked twice. She hastened forward into the limo, marvelling at its plush, leather seats, tinted windows and blue strobe lighting. For a brief moment as they sped through Las Vegas she forgot her stress and woes. Although she wished Tim, Calleigh and Eric could be with her to share the moment she was still happy just to have the experience.

"You've got to admit we know how to do things in style here," Catherine remarked to Horatio coyly as she leaned back in her seat. She was dressed in a flattering, low cut, green, silk dress that emphasised her curves and showed off her enviable tanned legs.

"You certainly do," Horatio retorted calmly as he kept his stare on the view outside.

Catherine banished her miffed look as she glanced from the redhead to Ridley. 'She seems fine with being here and she came of her own volition so why is he still mad about it?' she pondered. 'What is it about him and Ridley anyway? He's not just her boss...'

It was another hour before everyone was comfortably settled in a private booth in a restaurant in the Tangiers casino. Nick looked about the place with an obvious unease, showing a dislike for the raised booths behind them as he kept swinging his head to look around his booth.

"Do you want to swap seats?" Warrick queried tiredly. He was against the wall beside Nick and opposite Horatio.

"No," Nick muttered without looking at his friend.

"It's safe here," Ridley murmured, just audible over the music and casual conversation of other diners.

Nick gave her an icy, sunken eyed stare. "Nowhere is ever truly safe, hasn't the job taught you that?" he quipped savagely.

Ridley withheld a frown. "You can't think like that or you will be paranoid forever. You know from the job that statistically the horrid things that occur aren't that high, not in the greater scheme of things, and many crimes are the result of personal grudges. Our job puts us in danger and that's the way of it, what you have to decide is if the job's worth it."

Nick gritted his teeth and swallowed down a retort as their starters were served.

Throughout the starter and the main course the conversation was minimal and mostly between Catherine, Warrick and Horatio. When they finally finished their main serving and relaxed with drinks Nick finally spoke again.

"How do you manage it? What keeps you going?"

"My friends and family," Ridley replied gently. "Tim, Horatio, Calleigh, and Eric all came to see me in the hospital; they kept me going even when I didn't always want to keep to going."

"And the after? When you were first alone?"

"That was hard," Ridley admitted, "and there were a few nights when I couldn't cope. There were nights when I didn't bother to sleep, there were nights when I had Tim coming to my door at three in the morning because I'd phoned him in tears and even..." She paused and sucked in a breath, bowing her head slightly as her cheeks turned a faint pink. "There were nights when I found myself on Horatio's porch because I did not feel safe. Then I tried to block it out with medication, God knows the therapy certainly didn't help. I went back to work for a distraction but I went back too soon, I can admit that now. It was so hard being at home without the distraction." She clenched her hands slightly on the table.

"When you've nothing to think about except what happened," Nick concluded bitterly.

"It fades, it never goes away completely but it does fade," Ridley assured. "And you will find your reasons to keep going and you will find things that make you happy and you will be glad that you did keep pushing."

"What do you have?"

"I told you," Ridley answered with a smile, "friends and family." She reached for her clutch, opened it up and tugged out her purse. From her purse she tugged out a small photograph of Tim holding Ellie. Tim was wearing dark shades and had barely managed a smile for the shot whilst Ellie was looking up at her father fondly and caught mid gurgle.

"Catherine said you had a kid, what's her name again?" Nick queried as he looked at the photograph.

"Ellie."

Nick offered a faint smile at that. "How did you pick that name?" He attempted to show an interest and welcome a distraction from their previous grim topic.

"Eric and Calleigh," Ridley confessed, "it's the closest name we could get that was a combination of the two."

Nick's smile widened at this and he nodded.

"I know how hard it gets," Ridley remarked seriously, "I do and I know how sometimes you think you've finally got there and then all it takes is one thing to set you back again but trust me, the good will outweigh the bad. You've got so many good friends to keep you going Nick and you have so much to live for and so much of life still to enjoy. You're great at your job so don't throw it away just yet."

Nick nodded even as he fell quiet again.

They finally concluded their drinks and Nick insisted on calling it a night. An exhausted Ridley and Horatio agreed and they separated. Horatio and Ridley returned to their hotel in the limo with Catherine whilst Warrick took Nick home.

When they arrived at the hotel Ridley stepped out first followed by Horatio. The redhead turned back before Catherine could follow. He placed one hand on the doorframe and leaned in to the blonde. "Thank you for a pleasant evening," he said sincerely.

Catherine looked up at him calmly, holding back the hurt from her face. "I'm not getting an invite for coffee am I?" she queried wryly.

Horatio shook his head with a flicker of a smile to soften the rejection.

"Is it because of Ridley?" she queried quietly.

Horatio looked surprised at this for a moment as he tried to think of an answer.

"Because I risked her well being for Nick's?"

Horatio frowned a little. "That's not entirely it," he confessed.

Catherine raised a golden eyebrow at this. "But that's part of it. I've never understood your relationship with Detective Moon and I suppose I never shall. So what's the other part? Have you met someone?"

The smile was back with a hint of embarrassment in his cerulean stare. "Yes. Goodnight Catherine."

"Goodnight Horatio, I'll see you both tomorrow."

The redhead nodded before he leaned back and shut the door. He headed into the hotel to Ridley who was waiting in the lobby studying the fliers. "How are you?" he queried gently.

"I'm good," she answered with a reassuring smile, "it wasn't easy but I think I'm getting through to him and if I am then it's worth it."

Horatio nodded. "Well if it gets too much all you have to do is say Ridley."

"I know." She nodded and hugged her shoulders briefly. "He kept trying to sneak into my head," she swallowed hard, "not the violet eyed man, I thought it would be him but it was Hawkes. I almost mentioned him and then I remembered no one really knows about that."

"I do," Horatio reminded her, "you can talk to me about him anytime you want."

They headed into the lift and Horatio pressed the button for their floor.

"You're the only one who met him," Ridley said softly once the doors were closed, "even Tim can't put a face to the name, not really."

Horatio chilled at her words though he kept it from his face. 'He can,' he thought solemnly.

"Do you remember?" she queried quietly. "Was he such a monster? I don't think he's how I remember him, it was hard, it was so dark down there. I keep pushing to see; I try to force myself to look so I can remind myself that he was just human in the end."

"Is it important to you to remember him?" Horatio pried.

Ridley nodded. "If I keep thinking of him as a monster then it gets hard, at first it made it easy because monsters are hard to defeat so I could justify my own inability to escape him for so long but... Now I think if I see him for the human he was then maybe that makes it easier because humans are fragile, we're mortal, we can be hurt and we can be killed." She shook her head. "Sorry, I'm not making sense."

"Yes you are," Horatio murmured as he extended a hand to squeeze her right shoulder.

Ridley looked up at him meeting his stare with a serious look. "What was he like, to you?"

'Like his son,' Horatio thought numbly, 'a natural blonde, same jaw line, same nose, different eye colour but the same stare.'

"Just another crook," Horatio answered dismissively.

"Right," Ridley bowed her head, "of course, it was years ago and there have been so many criminals since. I just thought maybe...I mean you knew it was him, right? You always knew." She glanced up at him again.

"Yes," Horatio confessed.

"But you didn't get him and you've always said in Miami that we never close, we never forget them until we get them. Oh God I'm sorry, I'm starting to sound accusatory aren't I?" She broke from him and shook her head again. "I'm sorry, I don't mean it like that Horatio, I really don't. I mean I got closure with him in the end."

"Who pulled the trigger?" Horatio asked suddenly. "Who killed Hawkes?"

Ridley tensed at the question. The lift binged before she could answer. The doors opened and Ridley escaped to the corridor. Horatio followed, knowing his question wasn't going to be answered.

Ridley glanced over her shoulder at her superior. "Could I sit with you for a while?" she queried quietly.

Horatio nodded with a warm smile. "Of course Ridley." He took the lead to his quarters. He opened the door and Ridley followed him into a large sitting area.

The younger detective realised she had never even really queried who was footing the bill for this. She had intended on paying for her quarters of course and her plane tickets but Horatio had insisted that it was all taken care of. At first she had thought he might have pushed it through as a work venture but then she realised the likes of Stetler might have been all over that and accusing Horatio of abusing Miami-Dade funding. 'So who paid then?' she wondered curiously.

Ridley took a seat on the plush grey-purple couch whilst Horatio made a beeline for the mini bar. He decided if Ridley was going to be asking about Hawkes then he was going to need a drink. How long had he obsessed over that name and face? Even after he had transferred from New York to Miami he had never forgotten that man. He had never forgotten anyone who had escaped justice.

'We never close,' Horatio thought bitterly, 'except we did. I left New York with how many open cases?'

The redhead presented Ridley with a tumbler of whiskey as he occupied a seat beside her. The brunette accepted the drink and took a grateful sip. She let out a sigh and slumped back against the couch slightly. Only now was it starting to sink in just how trying it had been to discuss Nick's trauma with him whilst bringing up her own.

"I don't want to have nightmares anymore," Ridley confessed. "I don't want Ellie to ever ask what her mummy's screaming about, I want to be normal by the time she gets old enough to start to take in these things."

Horatio looked over at Ridley sympathetically. "Ellie's going to grow up knowing how brave and strong her mother is," he countered, "and she's going to be so proud of you."

Ridley gave him a smile in answer before she took another sip. "I hope so."

"I know so Ridley."


	14. Chapter 13- Day of the Wolf

Ryan Wolfe began to regret his decision to have a large, greasy breakfast as he looked at the first body of the day.

"Well I guess this means the Donner case will finally be dropped," Detective Angelo Sanchez remarked dryly.

Ryan glanced from the mutilated body to the older detective, readily welcoming the distraction. "What do you mean?" he queried in confusion.

Angelo gave the CSI an ugly smile in answer. He shifted his brown tinted shades up an inch with his left hand and gestured up to the body with his right hand. "Don't recognise her with her eyes drilled out?" he quipped sarcastically. "It's Misty Cardoza."

Ryan frowned at Angelo's tone before his murky grey-brown eyes filled with surprise as he turned back to the corpse. It was a name that had been playing on his mind for a while now as he replayed his investigation into the murder of drug dealer Marius Mosqueda over and over and wondered how in the hell he had come up guilty for Misty but Speedle had come up innocent.

"Smile Wolfe it means Speedle can't do any more damage to our careers."

Detective Frank Tripp gave an unsubtle cough as he frowned over at Angelo and Ryan and then looked back up to the body calmly. For the moment he was determined to play indifferent professional, when the body was down and off to the morgue he would allow himself to see it as human and acknowledge the pity growing in him for the young woman.

"I don't think that was Speedle's intention," Ryan murmured. He surprised himself with his candour and wondered if he was finally starting to tolerate the older CSI. He continued to study the body. Female, between five four and five five, slim, bony even, naturally swarthy but pallid in death. Naked, bruised, cut, beaten and bloody, two eyes missing, bloodstains about the sockets suggesting removal when alive, Ryan swallowed hard, colouration about the torso suggested internal injury, red welts on the ankles and wrists hinted at restraints and red circles showed burn marks. There was a lot of blood dried about her mouth and throat too but Ryan didn't think her throat had been slit so he wondered at the source of the blood. He would know more when the body was cut down from the rope it swung from, bound about the waist rather than the neck, and Alexx had a chance to analyse it and give him more information.

Ryan pondered his next move. Should he let Speedle know? Would it be a combination of interests or a conflict of them for the traces expert? Ryan looked to Angelo and decided against it, he would tell Speedle later, no sense in having him here now and locking horns with the detective.

"Let's get to work then," Ryan remarked with forced cheer. He started documenting the scene and taking photographs, jotting down what he knew and running red ink under what he theorised.

It didn't take long for Alexx Woods to arrive and offer her sincere but unusual sympathies for the deceased. She handled her inspection and removal of the body with her usual cool, professional manner. Ryan was in awe of it, she was always so respectful and unflinching, always compassionate and never revolted. Ryan didn't think he had seen the medical examiner nauseated by a body yet. He hoped as his stomach surged again that it came with experience.

"Are you telling Timmy about this angel?" Alexx quipped Ryan softly as she gave him a serious stare.

Ryan read the unspoken promise in Alexx's eyes that she would tell Speedle about Misty if he didn't. He gave a reluctant nod as his eyes darted over to Angelo again. "Yeah I will," he retorted quietly. "Not sure how he's gonna take it, I don't even know if he met her." He grimaced slightly as he remembered meeting Misty and mentally cursed himself for forgetting her so easily. He normally had recollection down to a fine art, in part thanks to his OCD there was little Ryan Wolfe missed and his memory was close to photographic. So why in the hell had he needed Detective Sanchez to point out the obvious to him?

Alexx gave him a questioning look. "He's a professional, he won't be cut up about it," she reminded Ryan.

Ryan blinked back at her dumbly for a moment. "No, of course, I meant..." He trailed off awkwardly. What had he meant? That he wondered if Speed would react at all to the death? Would Speedle be angry because it meant his hours spent reopening the case were probably for naught? Or was it that Ryan was wondering moodily if Speedle would have remembered the woman when he couldn't? Maybe it was a little of both.

Ryan sighed. "I just don't want to add more to his plate." A jolt of surprise ran through him, concern for Speedle again?

Alexx rewarded him with a warm smile. "He'll handle it," she assured. "He's going to have to, it's doubtful her death and her recanting of her confession to a drug dealer's murder are a coincidence." She looked over to the now sheet covered corpse and frowned. "Poor honey you tried to do right by yourself and you paid the ultimate price for it."

Ryan stiffened at Alexx's words knowing how right she was. If Misty had been murdered because of her involvement or potential lack of involvement in Marius Mosqueda's murder then Speedle would have to take on her murder because it would directly tie into his case. As the CSI who had been present for the finding of Misty's body Ryan knew that meant he and Speedle were going to have to work together on it. That was only going to prove awkward given it was Ryan who had found evidence to support Misty's confession to Marius' murder. He and Speed were coming from two opposing points to try and find the truth in this dangerous mess and with their star player dead Ryan wasn't sure how they were ever going to manage that. Horatio said the evidence never lied but Ryan was beginning to get the sinking feeling that it had lied- to him.

* * *

It was just after seven in the evening when Ryan finally made it back to the Miami-Dade Headquarters. To say his day had been full was an understatement. He arrived wearily with several cases of evidence and an ever chirper Calleigh Duquesne. Hours of looking at blood and guts at a pile up on the main road had barely dimmed her spirits. Her presence had been required due to the fact that a shootout between two rival gang members had led to the grim debacle on the road.

The pair reached the main laboratories just as Speed hastened out of it. The man looked only a little more dishevelled than usual but he managed to wear it well. Ryan wondered sardonically if he could pull off the scruffy hair, stubble and unironed clothes quite so well as Tim Speedle.

"Hey Speedle can I talk to you?" Ryan was quick to the point.

Tim glanced up and fixed a tired, calm stare on their newest member. He swallowed down the first venomous retorts that came to mind and instead tried to answer as politely as he could. Ridley had scolded him too many times now for being less than civil to Ryan and even if she wasn't here to scorn him in person Tim somehow knew she would learn about it if he started being snappy with Ryan. "I'm in a rush, can it wait?"

"Not really," Ryan protested.

Tim looked puzzled as he continued facing Ryan. The younger man didn't sound angry, desperate maybe and he looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Tim glanced at his watch and shook his head. "Sorry Wolfe but I'm running late."

"Babysitter?" Calleigh queried curiously.

Tim nodded as he manoeuvred between the pair and headed for the stairs. "Holly's going out tonight, I can't ruin her social life just because mine's dead in the water," he retorted sardonically.

"Misty Cardoza's dead." Ryan blurted out the words to Speed's retreating form before he could help himself.

Calleigh's dark green eyes went as wide as saucers. "What?!" she snapped.

Tim tensed on the stairs and his left hand tightened slightly on the black banister as he glanced over his shoulder at Ryan.

Ryan's eyes flickered from Calleigh to Tim as he unconsciously took a step away from the blonde. He was aware that her father was the solicitor on Misty's case, that was old news around Miami-Dade Headquarters but since she wasn't the active CSI on the case Ryan didn't feel he should tell her about Misty's demise.

"I don't suppose it was peaceful?" Tim murmured dryly.

Ryan shook his head. "No, no it was awful, she suffered."

Tim shook his head. "Right, well I'll look at the notes tomorrow." He turned back to the stairs and started up them.

Ryan felt a flare of anger as he watched the dark haired man go. Didn't he care about the young woman? No sympathy? No anger? Nothing? He exhaled a sigh that was cut short quickly as he became aware of Calleigh's glower.

"When did this happen?" the blonde snapped. "You've been with me all afternoon!"

"It was my first case this morning," Ryan admitted.

"And you didn't think it was worth mentioning?" she demanded.

"You're not assigned to it," Ryan reminded her. He met the anger in her gaze unflinchingly and forced himself to hold her stare. "I couldn't tell you before Speedle and with your dad being her lawyer-"

"Does my father know?" Calleigh interrupted savagely.

"I'm not sure, I made the call to her next of kin before I met you, her mother, she lives two states away."

"And she didn't bother to stay closer with her daughter being involved in a murder investigation?"

"I don't know if she knew about that," Ryan answered quietly.

Calleigh shook her head at him angrily before she turned and hastened into the lab. "I have to call my father," she snapped.

Ryan considered another protest but he didn't think it would be worth her admonishing. He sighed again as he finally felt the strain of the day wash over him. He was exhausted but he still had evidence to process. Tiredly he moved into the labs after Calleigh.

* * *

Tim arrived home in typical late fashion. He cut the roar of his motorcycle, steadied it on the driveway and then raced up to the front door hastily. Traffic had been rough and even with the advantage of a bike that could slip through it he had still found it difficult to make good time.

He opened the door and hurried in. He followed the sound of gurgles and excited clapping to Ellie and Holly. "I'm sorry Holly," he blurted out as he found them in the living room, "the traffic was a nightmare, no excuse I know, seriously I'm sorry. I can give you a lift..." He trailed off awkwardly as he realised that Holly was trying very hard to hide the fact that she was crying.

Holly had thumbed away a couple of tears and was now regarding Tim with a very wide, forced smile. She was dressed to go out wearing a flattering, short, black dress with a false crystal necklace and matching bracelet, and black stilettos. She had suggested earlier that she got ready at Tim's house and got a taxi from there to her friends in case he was back late and she didn't have time to go home and get ready. Her black and silver clutch purse sat on her lap with her phone on top of it. Her phone was flashing to indicate a call. Holly glanced down and immediately ended the call.

"Dada! Dada!" Ellie chirped up impatiently. She was seated on a red chair with a round table around it offering many colourful and noisy distractions.

"Holly are you okay?" Tim queried.

"I'm fine," she answered brightly as she shoved her phone into her purse and stood up.

Tim leaned against the doorframe of the living room. He knew he could just let it slide and he sorely wanted to but a small, annoying voice told him that it wouldn't be right. "Holly I'm a CSI," he reminded her, "I know when something's wrong."

Holly gave an awkward laugh at that, which almost sounded like a sob. "Of course," she murmured. "Sorry Mr. Speedle I just...don't worry about it. I'm sure you've had a hard day anyway."

Tim looked back at her suspiciously before he finally moved to Ellie who was starting to squeal in frustration. Her cheeks turned red as she stretched up to her father in vain and shouted. "Dada! DADA!"

Tim plucked his daughter up and drew her close, all the while keeping his stare on Holly. "Where are you going tonight?" he pried. "I'll give you a lift."

"That's very kind of you but it's alright," Holly assured. She looked about the living room awkwardly. "Um I'll ring for a taxi."

"To go where?" Tim asked.

Holly met his probing brown stare and she blushed under it. "Home," she confessed with a defeatist bow of her head. She raised her left hand hastily to wipe away fresh tears. "I'm sorry Mr. Speedle really; you don't want to hear this."

'She's right I don't,' Tim thought disparagingly. He could almost hear Ridley telling him off for his apathetic attitude and sighed. "Do you want to talk about it? How about we go to the kitchen because I really need a coffee and you tell me what happened?"

Holly looked up in surprise and gave a warm, fleeting smile before she nodded.

Tim balanced the scowling Ellie who had been tugging at his dark curls for the past couple of minutes. "Daddy's hair isn't a toy," he chided his daughter before he turned and led the way to the kitchen.

Holly hurried after to the pair, rushing to the kettle when they entered the kitchen. "I'll do it," she said hastily.

Tim watched with bemusement as Holly flustered and fumbled to fill the kettle and then fetch two cups and the coffee. He put Ellie in her high chair and frowned at the wolf teddy sitting on the table; it instantly put him in mind of Ryan Wolfe and his grim news.

Holly pushed back a stray strand of thin brown hair before offering Tim a nervous smile. "I...my date pocket dialled me," she explained, "and it turns out he's been screwing my best friend. I got a nice phone call of her um...servicing him...and then some jokes about how dumb I am." She sighed and turned back to the cups, hurrying to put coffee and sugar in them.

"Jesus," Tim murmured before he could help himself. He scratched at his stubble awkwardly and winced as Ellie attempted to repeat his latest curse.

"Jeee," the young girl commented cheerfully.

"Your mother is going to kill me when she gets back," Tim remarked to her brightly.

"I am dumb," Holly continued, "spending twenty minutes trying to look pretty for him while he's..." She shook her head. "Megan's beautiful, I suppose I should've seen it coming, tall, curvy, all the men like her."

"Holly come on, this guy is obviously an asshole." Tim paused and pointed at Ellie sharply. "Don't repeat that princess." He lowered his finger and looked back to Holly who was pouring the kettle. "Look I...you're nice and you're pretty, if he doesn't appreciate that find someone who does." He swallowed hard. 'Fuck I hate shit like this,' he thought to himself in despair. 'Why did I ask? Because I was afraid of Ridley finding out if I didn't?' He imagined Ridley's telling off. 'I can hear her now, "you let the babysitter leave our house in tears and you didn't even ask why? Geez Tim are you made of stone?"'

Holly offered another faint smile as she stepped up to Tim and held out his cup. She gazed up at him gratefully as she pressed the cup close leaving little space between them. "It's nice of you to say Mr. Speedle even if you don't mean it."

Tim blinked down at her in confusion as he accepted the cup in one hand. "Don't mean what?"

"That I'm pretty," Holly murmured as she smoothed down her dress with her free hand, "I know I'm plain, it's okay."

Tim tensed for a moment as he felt cornered. He knew Holly was fishing but he wasn't quite sure why, had her boyfriend knocked her confidence that much? Did part of her really believe that? He wasn't sure what to do but knew he had to act fast or else the silence would stretch out and make anything he said sound like a lame lie.

"You are pretty," he retorted quickly.

'Shit, what else can I say?' he thought. 'Nah Holly you're ugly? I wonder how hard Ridley would slap me for that? And Holly's alright I suppose, bit young for me to make a call on that. What is she again, eighteen, nineteen?'

Holly's smile widened slightly. Her fingertips brushed against Tim's and only then did he realise that even though he taken his cup from her she had not actually released it. His grip on the handle tightened as he fought the urge to yank the cup back.

"You're amazing Mr. Speedle I mean you work all those long hours, you put criminals away, you're so brave with your job and then you still find time to raise Ellie."

"Well I don't do it alone," Tim reminded Holly pointedly.

Holly nodded. "Right but you're doing it alone right now," she retorted.

"Yeah Ridley's only gone for a few days, it's a work thing."

"I thought you guys worked together." Holly arched an eyebrow as she continued to hold Tim's stare.

"She's a detective first, I'm CSI," Tim replied bluntly.

"Sorry, I don't mean to pry," Holly apologised.

"That's alright," Tim dismissed her concerns.

"You just, you really are such a great guy and you seem really stressed lately and I don't think it's fair and..." Holly seemed to inch closer. "I want to help," she murmured softly.

A wave of shock rushed through Tim when Holly stretched up and pressed her lips against his. He staggered back but it wasn't easy given she was still holding the damn coffee cup. He chose to release it in his efforts to get some space and the result was it shattering on the floor and spilling hot coffee everywhere.

Ellie immediately started screaming in alarm at the noise.

Tim ran a hand through his dark hair hastily before he turned from Holly and hurried over to Ellie. He plucked her up from the high seat and attempted to soothe her. "It's alright princess, daddy's just clumsy that's all."

Holly watched in confusion and despair, waiting for Tim to look at her again.

When Ellie's squeals silenced to a more endurable whimpering Tim finally glanced over his shoulder at Holly. His brown stare was icy and his lips were crinkled down in a frown. "I don't know what the hell just happened," he said quietly. "I'm tired and I'm going to put it down to that but let me remind you that I do have a girlfriend who you have met several times."

"She stresses you out," Holly protested, "and she's never around. I mean I know you're only with her for Ellie and she doesn't have to know!"

"Jesus fucking Christ," Tim grumbled. He turned round to fully face Holly though his scorn was ruined slightly by the now giggling baby in his arms. "I thought you were cut up about your boyfriend, what was that, a ploy? Shit Holly is that what's going on here?"

"Well no, I mean he is cheating on me," she protested, "but it doesn't matter because I was going to finish with him anyway. I like you, you're nice and you're smart and you're cool, and you're great at your job and you're an amazing dad and I understand you working long hours and I don't mind, and I adore Ellie, she's a great kid. And if you have to stay with Ridley because she helps pay for the house or because of Ellie or whatever that's okay, I don't mind keeping it a secret."

"Shit, shit, fucking shit," Tim cursed rapidly under his breath.

"Shi, shi!" Ellie gurgled happily. "Fu shi!"

"Nope let's not start that princess," Tim murmured as he pushed her up to see over his shoulder. "Seriously Holly I don't know where this came from, I really don't. I love Ridley, I loved her before we had Ellie and I'm never going to stop loving her. Ridley and Ellie are my whole world."

Holly nodded as the tears started streaking down her cheeks. "You know what I should go."

"Yeah that's probably a good idea," Tim murmured sardonically.

Without another word Holly hurried through the kitchen doorway to the front door.

Tim winced slightly as he heard the front door close and did not bother with a pursuit nor did he bother to wonder how Holly was going to get herself home. He was just relieved to have her gone.

"Well Ellie what's your mum going to say about this huh?" Tim quipped as he held Ellie out before him with both hands and made a face.

"Fu shi! Fu shi!" Ellie retorted happily as she clapped her hands.

"Yeah probably something like that." Tim placed Ellie back in her high chair and began the laborious process of cleaning up the mess. "More importantly who the hell am I going to get to mind you on such short notice? Ah well that's a problem for tomorrow I suppose."

* * *

Ryan Wolfe looked across at the ashen faced Timothy 'Speed' Speedle with something akin to pity. He had known he was going to see Speedle sooner or later but he had been assuming later and at work, not just after dawn and in Speedle's own home.

Ellie was howling from the living room where Calleigh was trying to soothe her. Calleigh had come as Wolfe's support, ignoring Frank and Detective Sanchez's reprimands that she couldn't work the case as it was connected to a friend. Finding Tim in the state he was and Ellie in despair, Calleigh had surrendered all work duties to Ryan and jumped into maternal mode to help Ellie.

Eric was on way but Detective Sanchez had already made it clear that Eric could only attend as a friend not a CSI. The case was Ryan's because even though he and Tim had socialised on a couple of occasions it had been through other people and no one actually thought they might be friends.

Ryan stood up straight and glanced down the hallway. The cream carpet was damp with blood and the body still lay there as Alexx fussed over it. A young woman, thin and brunette with her throat slashed opened. The murder weapon, a knife from Tim's kitchen, had been found in the kitchen bin by Detective Sanchez and sealed up by Ryan.

Tim had yet to speak, he was seated at the kitchen table looking like he might be sick. Ryan wondered if he had thrown up already, he imagined it would probably take a lot to make the more experienced CSI feel queasy but he suspected knowing the victim might help with that. She was Holly Collins, Ellie's babysitter as a shocked Calleigh had confirmed.

Tim had made the call upon finding the body when Ellie had awoken him around four in the morning for a feed. Apparently he had been perfectly calm on the phone, something Sanchez was already determined to use against him but Ryan figured that was just the professional side taking over, kind of an autopilot mode whilst Tim's personal side tried to digest the shock.

The woman was dressed for a night out though not a night of babysitting and it was difficult to imagine why she had ended up dead on Tim's carpet in the morning dressed as she was. Naturally Sanchez already had some theories on that too but Ryan wasn't going to give those any credibility, for all the flaws Ryan saw in Tim, infidelity was definitely not one of them. Ryan had seen how Tim looked at Ridley, everyone else got the apathetic or sardonic, dull brown gaze but Ridley got something else, Ridley got the heated spark and the lingering, bright stare and Tim got it right back from her. So why then was Holly Collins here?


	15. Chapter 14- The Truth

_She flinched when he leaned over and cast her in his shadow, placing something beside the left of her head. She turned her head to see it though the gesture cost her as her head swam and she had flashes of black before she took in the blurry image of a tape recorder. She heard it click as he pressed down on it._

" _You're going to scream for Lieutenant Caine now," he said merrily. "It's going to be a new cycle I think, the cycle of the failed partner is over, now we can begin his tragic tale, the cop who failed the same woman twice."_

" _The cop who failed the same woman twice."_

"IT WAS HAWKES!"

Horatio Caine halted as his face turned a chalky white. He looked to the woman shaking and screaming on the couch as she clutched at her hair and for once he didn't know what to do.

"Hawkes," she choked out the name like it was poison. Another shudder escaped her as she raised her knees against herself and started rocking back and forth on the spot. "How could it be?" She sniffled and started to sob as she shook her head rapidly.

"Ridley?" Even to him Horatio's voice sounded quiet. He took a reluctant step towards her and then another until she was almost in his shadow.

The young woman looked up to the redhead with all the vulnerability of a child. "It was Hawkes," she croaked out. "Hawkes buried me." The screams came suddenly, sharp and wild as she started to tug at her hair with both hands.

Horatio forced himself from his numb shock at her screams. He moved down to the couch and embraced the distraught woman close. He didn't bother with words, knowing there was nothing to say to make this nightmare go away.

"It doesn't make sense," she rambled, "those eyes, God that was it, he...no." She shook her head and continued to sob. "He knew," she babbled, "he said you failed me twice, how else could he know? No one knew I was down there, you weren't even looking for me! No one knew! Oh Jesus how could it be him though? Justin shot him. Oh God it doesn't make sense!"

Horatio knew time had finally run out for the deception he, Tim and Eric had maintained for years. The woman was on the edge of madness trying to figure out the truth, he had to give in and confess what he knew, what they had always known. "Yes it does Ridley," Horatio confessed bitterly, "because it wasn't Hawkes, it was his son."

Ridley pulled back from the lieutenant and looked up at him in disbelief. "Www...what?" she stammered out.

Horatio sucked in a deep breath as he forced himself to meet Ridley's frightened and confused stare. "The Suburban Legends killer was Hawkes' son," he explained.

Ridley pulled away from Horatio and hastened to her feet, stumbling slightly as she did. "No." She shook her head as she staggered backwards towards the room's main door. "No." Tears trickled down her eyes as she demanded, "how do you know that?"

"He confessed it to me," Horatio admitted gravely.

Ridley puzzled over this for a moment before her mouth parted in an O shape and she let out a gasp. "Does Tim know?" she demanded.

Horatio hesitated over an answer, he couldn't lie to Ridley but he couldn't betray Tim either.

"He was with you," Ridley choked out with another shake of her head. Her eyes flickered to her phone resting on the arm of the couch where she had abandoned it. She hastened forward and snatched it up before backing from Horatio and the couch once more. With her free hand Ridley rubbed at her hair in confusion whilst she began dialling Tim on her phone. "Damn it Tim pick up," she grumbled. It rang off to the answer phone and Ridley cursed. She looked at the time, it was almost four am here so it had to be close to seven back in Miami, surely Ellie had Tim awake by now. Ridley began to dial him again.

Horatio tensed when he heard his own phone ringing from his bedroom. He looked to Ridley worriedly, reluctant to leave her but he knew no one could be ringing him at this hour without good reason. Hoping that Ridley wouldn't bolt from the room in his absence Horatio hurried to his bedroom and looked to his phone. It was Calleigh. The redhead knew this phone call wasn't going to be good. He snatched up his phone and swallowed hard, how much worse could things get?

"Calleigh," he answered coolly.

"Horatio I have bad news." Her voice was serious, she was trying to sound professional and keep her emotions from it but Horatio heard the worry and fright anyway, the signs that it was a personal matter.

"What's happened?" he quipped quietly as he glanced to the open doorway he had come through. He couldn't see Ridley but he could hear her sobbing and cursing as Tim continued to fail to answer her. Horatio knew that wasn't right, Tim always answered Ridley, on that matter he was dependable to a fault. The man might fail to clean his gun or charge his camera but he never let his phone battery go below halfway and he never had it on silent either in case Ridley needed him.

"It's Tim," Calleigh's voice came out as a tightened whisper.

Horatio stayed silent as a sinking feeling filled him and he puzzled through all the possibilities- an accident on his motorcycle, a shooting on the job?

"The babysitter, Holly Collins, is dead." Calleigh's words came out almost in a jumble and Horatio knew she was telling him things out of order.

Holly, he remembered her well, a sweet, bright girl who had an endless patience with Ellie. "Tell me from the beginning," Horatio advised his second calmly.

"I don't know what the beginning is," Calleigh admitted bitterly. "Tim has completely shut down, he's in shock."

"Was Tim involved?" Horatio's voice came out louder than intended as his surprise seeped into it. He heard the silence that filled the living room and knew Ridley had heard him. He suppressed a curse when her questioning face appeared in the doorway.

"She was in his house, he reported it, dead in the hallway, it doesn't look good."

Horatio tried and failed to gather his thoughts, he didn't know what to ask Calleigh, especially with Ridley standing in the doorway listening. God why did everything have to happen at once? Ridley's eyes were bloodshot and barely focused, she was on the verge of yet another Hawkes related breakdown and Horatio knew whatever had happened with Holly would only send her veering over the edge. It wasn't like he could keep this from her, they would have to go back to Miami immediately and try to sort it. Ellie needed her mother, Tim needed his girlfriend and Tim and the late Holly would both need all the help Horatio could get to sort this mess and fast. Tim was a CSI, if there was even a linger of suspicion on him for too long then innocent or not he could lose his career over it.

"I'll sort the flights," Horatio murmured quietly back to Calleigh, "we'll get back asap."

"What about Ridley?" the blonde choked out.

Horatio fixed a serious cerulean stare on the quivering woman. "I'll tell her," he retorted, his voice quiet and serious. "Bye Calleigh." He hung up the phone before she could answer.

"What's happened now?" Ridley demanded. She folded her arms tightly across her chest and Horatio knew it was an effort to stop her quivers.

"There's been an incident back home," he confessed softly. "Ellie's babysitter Holly has been killed."

Ridley tensed and turned pale. "Killed how?" she demanded hoarsely.

"I don't know yet," the redhead admitted. "Tim found her in your house, in the hallway and made the call."

"Tim." Ridley's brown-grey eyes filled at first with confusion and then with horror as she started shaking her head. "Why isn't Tim answering his phone? Why hasn't he called about Holly?"

Horatio grimaced slightly, how could he answer that? The truth was he didn't even really know, he'd gotten only hints from Calleigh and a dark implication that Tim was more involved than anyone wanted him to be. "Ridley I don't know," he admitted. "I'll sort out the transport, we'll get home as soon as we can and find out."

Ridley felt her stomach tighten and she loosened her arms, letting them fall limp by her sides as her throat tightened too. How had everything gone so wrong in a handful of hours? She wanted to be mad with Tim, she wanted to hurl abuse at him for keeping such a big secret from her, to demand to know what right he had thought he had to do it but all she could feel was scared for him. What had happened in Miami? Holly was dead, in their house and now Tim wasn't answering his phone and he hadn't rung to tell her. Fear ran through the young woman as she tried and failed to come up with an explanation and her thoughts turned to where Ellie was in all this mess.

"Get it done then," she said stiffly to Horatio before she turned and put her back to him.

Horatio did not protest when Ridley hurried from the bedroom and out the main door into the hotel hallway. He assumed she was away to pack and did not dare consider other possibilities. He couldn't let his mind run ragged with worries over what Ridley might or might do or be thinking, or what Tim might or might not have done. No, there was no might, Tim hadn't done a damn thing, Horatio knew that but what the hell had happened to create some suspicion? Why was the girl in his house? Had she died there? Had she been planted there? Horatio shook his head angrily, he had to focus and get himself and Ridley out of Vegas and back to Miami as quickly and smoothly as possible.

* * *

It just after one in the afternoon when a weary Ridley and Horatio arrived at the Miami-Dade Headquarters. Calleigh greeted them first, her green eyes burning with worry as she noted the distance between the pair.

"Where are Tim and Ellie?" Ridley demanded.

The blonde flinched at her friend's tone before her eyes darted to the redhead briefly. "They won't give us Ellie, they were adamant that they keep her until you arrived."

"They?" Ridley quipped hoarsely.

"Child protection services," Calleigh retorted. "I can take you to go get her."

"Jesus why the hell isn't she with Tim?" Ridley rasped. "Where is he? What's going on?" She could feel her chest tighten as worry flooded through her. She could only imagine poor Ellie's state being subjected to strangers.

Calleigh faced Horatio this time as she answered. "They have had him in for questioning for hours," she said to her superior with a pleading look. "Detective Sanchez has been in there for three and he's showing no signs of letting up."

"Sanchez?" Ridley looked surprised. She felt herself turn numb as she wondered if it could have anything to do with Sanchez's public fallout with her. Surely he wasn't so petty or twisted.

"Calleigh take us to get Ellie first," Horatio commanded, "then I will speak to the detectives leading this case."

"It's Sanchez," Calleigh replied, "and Ryan is the CSI leading."

"Ryan's in on this?" Ridley snapped angrily.

"He got called to the scene Ridley," Calleigh attempted to explain. "Detective Rayes was funny about it, he wanted Ryan off, argued that he did socialise with us but Sanchez vetoed it. Look Ryan didn't want this but he's the best one to be on it."

Ridley shook her head and turned away from the blonde dismissively. She could imagine why Detective Sanchez wanted to keep Ryan on the case, Ryan had more of a reason to dislike Tim than anyone. With a sickly look she glanced to the glass doors that led outside. "I need to get my baby," she said sternly.

"We'll get her now," Horatio reassured.

Calleigh was surprised when Ridley didn't seem to acknowledge the redhead at all. She dismissed it as shock and stepped up to the pair with a determined look. "Come on, they're not far from here."

It took a twenty minute drive to reach the child protection services' base but for Ridley it was an eternity. Worse was the lengthy hour battling through the legalities and paperwork. Ridley almost lost her temper with the staff several times feeling they were treating her like a criminal. Once Calleigh expected her to burst into tears or curses but instead she just paled and murmured quietly that no mother should have to sign a piece of paper to see her own child. Calleigh's heart had almost broken then to see the pain that had darted through her friend's eyes. They were helped along by a surprising source, Calleigh's father who felt that he owed it to Tim.

Kenwall Duquesne proved to be talented in his field. He knew exactly what to say to speed up the process and by the end of it all he was able to reassure Ridley that there wouldn't be any more hoops to jump through. He had most of it dismissed as a matter of over the top formality and promised that he would press for the incident to be looked into, implying that certain detectives had pushed for Ellie to be handed over to care in Tim and Ridley's absence. The lawyer argued that the move was obscene, far too sudden and an obvious dirty tactic by the detectives to shake up their suspect. Tim hadn't been arrested after all, Ellie should have transferred into Calleigh or Eric's care or Alexx's. The fact was no one had given any potential guardian the option of minding Ellie, all allies of Tim had been kept at arm's length from the scene once Detective Sanchez had gotten control of it. In the chaos Ellie had been bustled off by the authorities.

In the end Ridley and Ellie were united on the promise that Ridley could guarantee a safe and appropriate environment for her daughter given their home was now a sealed off crime scene. Horatio had stepped in then, offering his own house as sanctuary. Calleigh had been surprised to see the rage that smouldered in Ridley's eyes at his words and had half expected a protest but Ridley had stayed silent, obviously determined that her reuniting with Ellie was not further delayed.

Ellie had been produced by a social worker, red faced with a soiled nappy and bawling. It had taken the last of Ridley's strength not to burst into tears with her daughter, instead she had embraced her quietly with a bitter thanks for the social worker. When they had finally retreated in Horatio's hummer the tears had come.

There was no sound save a soft, forced cooing from Ridley as she tried to soothe her irritated daughter. The tears soaked Ridley's cheeks quickly betraying her calmness as a facade and then the trembling began.

Calleigh moved across the back seat to wrap an arm about her friend's shoulders and embrace her close. "It will be okay Ridley, I promise."

Ridley shook her head. "I'm not allowed into my own home," Ridley choked out, "how can I change Ellie? And what about her toys?"

Horatio glanced at Ridley in his rearview mirror through his ever present raybans. In that moment he wanted to hate Detective Sanchez for putting her and Tim through this hell but then he reminded himself that the man was just doing his job and that the only one to hate was the real murderer. Although he agreed with Kenwall that the detective had definitely gone overboard in his instant persecution of Tim and his dealing with Ellie had been ludicrous. It was down on paper somewhere that should something happen to Tim and Ridley then Alexx Woods, Horatio, Calleigh, and Eric were all to be legal guardians. How the hell had she ended up in care then? And so damn quickly with her father only away for questioning? It looked bad and Horatio knew it was meant to, he suspected it was Detective Sanchez taking a very low blow at Tim and he couldn't fathom how anyone could sink so low.

Kenwall was a stoic presence beside Horatio, the confidence he had shown with child protection services seeping out of him by the minute. His withdrawal symptoms would soon become telling and Horatio expected he would disappear from their company soon enough. His interest in this was selfish- he knew it, Horatio knew it and Calleigh suspected it. If Tim's credibility came into question then Kenwall's Donner case would be tossed out. Bad enough Misty Cardoza was deceased but Kenwall had been confident that they had enough evidence to see her guilty sentence overhauled anyway and as her lawyer he was determined to do it and see some of his own reputation restored. Kenwall wondered grimly if Tim was going to be able to prove Misty's innocence without proving another's guilt. With the woman dead was Tim now going to have to find the real culprit of Marius Mosqueda's murder?

"Do you want to pick up a few things for Ellie in town?" Horatio suggested quietly.

If looks could kill Ridley's venomous stare in the rearview mirror would have seen Horatio dead in an instant. She swallowed hard as she tried to suppress some of her rage, conscious of Ellie's repetitive, hoarse sobs. She turned her attention to the window instead and nodded stiffly. She didn't want to prolong seeing Tim but Ellie needed fresh nappies and food at the very least. "Oh shit," she muttered, "how did this happen?"

"Shi, shi," Ellie cried out angrily.


	16. Chapter 15- Mounting Tension

To say Ryan Wolfe was stressed would be a vast understatement. He was still a rookie and to have such an important case thrust at him wasn't easy, even the slightest mistake and Speedle's career was dead in the water. He swallowed hard as he looked down at the notes and photographs for the umpteenth time. He had just received Detective Sanchez's report from his and Detective Tripp's interview with one Will Maguire. Sanchez hadn't even wanted to bother with it but Horatio had pushed him as potential suspect to Frank Tripp. Will had plenty of motive and he had clashed with Speedle all too recently in front of plenty of witnesses. Of course Will had played ignorant and had an alibi, he'd been at a stripper bar most of the night. He had left around two but given it had been more than two hours away from Tim's house it was impossible for him to have had the time to go from there to Speedle's and kill Holly.

There was a lot of unaccounted time Ryan still had to figure out. Speedle had said Holly had left his at approximately eight, then he had found her dead at around four. That was an entire eight hours to fill in. Holly's friends and family hadn't seen her. Alexx had suggested the time of death was between two and four so it was plausible it was just six hours to fill in. One had to wonder though if it was closer to two than four then why hadn't Speedle heard anything?

Ryan pushed back some of his tawny brown hair and sighed, it really wasn't looking good. The worst of it was that it was quickly becoming a case of CSI versus the police. The police had had enough of the CSIs taking all the glory and interfering with all their cases. No one was saying it and everyone was trying to appear professional but Ryan felt it was obvious that the cops really didn't want to help Speedle. Frank Tripp was the main exception and it was only because of him and Horatio that any beat cops were even trying to look for potential sightings of Holly that night. Frank was due to visit a bar now to check their CCTV as there were claims that Holly had been sighted there around twelve.

The worst of all was Speedle's admittance of his last meeting with Holly. She had kissed him and made suggestions of beginning an affair with him. It had taken four hours of hard questioning from Detective Sanchez before he had finally confessed to that. Sanchez had seized upon it as yet more evidence against Tim and he was even implying to other cops that given how messed up Ridley was Tim might have welcomed the affair but then panicked and killed Holly out of fear of discovery.

It was nonsense, Ryan knew it and he knew that Sanchez knew it as well. For whatever reason Sanchez seemed to have it in for Tim and Ridley both. Ryan suspected it was all to do with the Donner case. The young CSI tensed at this thought, could that be an explanation?

Tim had been close to proving Misty's innocence, there had been no gun residue on her shirt when there should have been and the bullets should have belonged to a stainless steel Ruger not a black one as had been found in Misty's house. Worse, the registration of the black Ruger to Misty had been a forgery, a brilliant one but a forgery nonetheless, and the cardigan she had been wearing with gun residue on it when arrested, well no one could actually prove it was hers. That was odd in itself, why had she still been wearing it? Why in the hell had she been lifted so quickly after the murder of Marius Valquez? Shit, why hadn't Ryan asked more questions back then? Had he been so green? So easily swayed by the detectives who wanted the case closed given the nature of the people involved? Was it possible that Marius Marquez's real killer might be trying to set up Speedle? Or was that far-fetched?

Ryan began to go over his copy of notes from the beginning again. He looked first to the pages from the police department, starting with Detective Sanchez's gruelling interview of Speedle. Ryan highlighted and underlined certain points, frowning as he noticed the shift in words and picked up on Speedle's growing unease and tiredness as the interview turned into an inquisition and the minutes stretched to hours. He winced when he read the man's blunt request for a toilet break after three hours be denied by Sanchez. The detective really did have it in for the CSI. Ryan didn't know but he suspected that Horatio was pushing for Sanchez to be disciplined over it and possibly removed from the case. Ryan knew the police would resist the change, knowing that whilst Horatio was right it would only result in an uproar from their department and accusations of favouritism for CSIs.

Ryan turned his blue-grey gaze back on the photos of the crime scene. Throat slashed, blood on the carpet. The blood had come back as belonging to Holly, and Alexx had confirmed that the wound on the throat had killed her but something about it didn't seem right to Ryan. Alexx had also mentioned bruising high on her inner right thigh, swelling on her wrists as if she had been restrained and a small hole like a needle mark. No one could explain it yet. It was hard to imagine Speedle restraining her wrists with one hand whilst slicing her throat with another, hard but plausible. There were a few prints on the girl but they were only smudged partials.

Ryan stared at the pictures for what seemed like hours before something finally clicked. "Where's her choker?" he wondered aloud. He shuffled through his notes back to Speedle's statement. He had mentioned Holly, when leaving his, had been wearing a fake crystal choker and bracelet as well as a black dress, stilettos, and a black and silver clutch purse. There was no choker or bracelet in the picture. Ryan went over the notes of everything found and removed from the house, the jewellery wasn't on that list. "Someone removed it to slash her throat," Ryan realised aloud, "but why remove the bracelet too?" He went back to the alleged murder weapon, a kitchen knife found in the kitchen bin. DNA had confirmed flecks of Holly's blood had been on it. Ryan wondered at a dark possibility, had the blood been planted?

The young CSI snatched up the photograph of Holly's body and hastened to another part of the lab.

* * *

Eric Delko felt a heavy guilt as he waited outside the door to his sister's apartment. He didn't know what was worse, the fact that he was here to give his sister drugs he had purchased illegally or the fact that he had left Calleigh alone to visit Tim and Ridley so he could come here.

Marisol greeted him with a wan face and tired smile. "Hey Eric," she said brightly.

"Marisol, how are you feeling?" he pried.

Marisol stepped back to grant her brother entry to her modest accommodations. "I'm alright, just a little tired," she assured.

"Sore?" he queried as he shut the door behind him.

She nodded as she folded her arms about her thin frame. "It takes its toll," she admitted. "What about you? I saw the news..." She trailed off with an uncertain look.

Eric let out a heavy sigh and only then realised he had been holding it in. "It's bad," he retorted. "It's a good setup."

"Setup?" Marisol echoed.

Eric nodded sternly. "They're trying to pin it on Tim," he let Marisol know what the press didn't yet.

Her lips parted in an o shape and her eyes widened slightly before she shook her head. "How terrible but he's your friend, who's working the case then?"

"Frank, Ryan and a Detective Sanchez," Eric answered, snarling out the last name as he did.

Marisol's stance relaxed slightly as she realised she was being a poor host. Her younger brother needed her support for a change. "Come on, I'll make some coffee and you can catch me up," she offered. She turned and began leading the way up the hall.

"I shouldn't," Eric murmured, "it's police business."

"Tim's your friend and I'm your sister, I won't tell anyone and you look like you need to unload on someone," Marisol answered. They entered the kitchen and she paused, doubling over against the breakfast bar with a wince.

Eric was immediately by his sister's side, reaching out to her with a look of concern.

"I'm okay," she murmured as she waved him off with one hand. She pressed her left hand against the side of her skull with a wince. When her palm came away with a few strands of dark hair tears filled her eyes.

"Marisol," Eric spoke up sympathetically.

"Don't," she protested. She pushed herself upright, thumbed away her tears stubbornly and turned her attention to the kettle. "Come on, talk, tell me about this case."

Her voice almost sounded begging which compelled Eric to give in. The half-Cuban occupied a white, faux leather stool and unloaded onto his sister. He told her all he knew about the Holly business which frankly wasn't much. Then he explained how Horatio and Ridley had returned in the chaos, cutting their trip to Vegas short. He admitted he had yet to see Ridley or Tim who were currently united in Horatio's house.

"Well you have to get over there," Marisol said sternly. "They're your friends and they need your support."

"I will," Eric replied, "I just...I don't what to say, I feel helpless." He hunted in his jacket and produced the small package of marijuana. "And I had to get this first," he explained.

Marisol clenched her firsts slightly and frowned. "Eric you shouldn't put that before your friends."

"That is what helps your pain," Eric reminded her crossly. He placed it down on the breakfast bar and slid it across to his sister. "And you are family."

"Tim and Ridley are your family too," Marisol replied softly. She eyeballed the drugs package distastefully. 'A necessary evil,' she thought frostily. "Could I help them?" she queried as she turned her attention back to her brother. "I mean...I know we've only met once but maybe I could bring something or..." She shrugged. "I don't know, something for their baby maybe, you said they're with Horatio right?"

Eric nodded. "Yeah, I know, his bachelor pad isn't exactly comfortable for a family."

"Well it's by the beach right, that's nice," Marisol commented with a smile.

Eric glanced at the clock on her wall, it was almost four. "Well look, I'm heading there now, do you want come?"

A spark of excitement flickered through Marisol's chocolate brown eyes before she banished it. Eric was immediately confused by it but purposely didn't comment on it. "Yes," she retorted as she nodded. "Just...can I have some time to get ready?"

Eric nodded obligingly and looked to the weed pointedly.

Marisol snatched up the package without commenting on it before she hastened from the room.

* * *

Horatio went to his door with a tired but wary gaze, unsure who could be calling now. It was just after seven, Calleigh had come and gone, though she was due back soon, promising to bring some much needed takeaway food. Horatio wasn't expecting her for at least another hour but he supposed it was possible she was early.

The redhead opened his door and faltered for a moment as his striking aquamarine stare fell on Marisol Delektorsky.

"Hey H," Eric greeted, "sorry I'm late."

"It's my fault," Marisol explained, "Eric was helping me with something. I hope it's okay that I came," she added. She raised the rope and hemp bag in her left hand. "Eric and I brought a few things."

Only then did Horatio notice that Eric was laden down with bags. He arched a copper-brown eyebrow and echoed sardonically, " a few?"

Marisol offered the lieutenant a wide smile at this followed by a soft giggle. It made Horatio feel oddly soothed, easing away a little of the intense stress he felt.

"They're for Tim, Ridley and Ellie," Eric explained, "while they're staying at Casa Caine. Calleigh said she's got dinner covered."

Horatio nodded as he finally stepped back to let the siblings enter. "Well come in then, Tim will be glad to see you. Ridley and Ellie are asleep at the moment."

Eric hurried in, heading up to the hall and into the open living room where he deposited his bags. He did a quick scan of the room, already there was evidence of Ellie everywhere- abandoned toys, a playmat, a high chair, a discarded bib on an end table, a plastic dish with leftovers spoiling on it and a pair of tiny, blue shoes. Eric's dark coca brown stare flickered to the glass doors leading out to the wooden patio, there he saw Tim, hunched over with a trouble stare as he puffed hard on a cigarette.

'Not even hiding it anymore,' Eric thought gloomily. He was reluctant to see his friend, the truth was he had no idea what to say- 'sorry man' didn't exactly cut it and 'it'll be okay' just seemed a little patronising and dumb. He sighed and stepped up to the doors, it would be cowardly and cruel to evade the man, Tim was his best friend after all and he knew the traces expert would be the first to him if the shoe was on the other foot.

Horatio and Marisol arrived in the living room as Eric exited it to Tim. The redhead, who had taken Marisol's single bag, deposited it beside Eric's bags before looking about the room sheepishly. "Sorry for the mess," he said apologetically.

Marisol smiled at him again, her face radiating warmth and happiness as if they were contagious. "It's a sign of you being a good host and friend, don't dare be sorry for it," she retorted. "How is everyone holding up?"

Now that was a loaded question, not that the young woman could possibly know it. Horatio looked from her to the hallway that led to the spare room Ridley and Ellie currently occupied and then he looked to the patio where Tim and Eric sat opposite each other sharing a stifled silence. What could he say? That Tim had all but shut down, that he knew something had happened in Vegas but he couldn't bring himself to ask and Ridley and Horatio couldn't bring themselves to mention it. That Ridley was holding herself together admirably but that Horatio was terrified that she would eventually snap and he wouldn't be able to fit the pieces back together when she did, that his guilt when concerned with her had almost consumed him. That he hadn't slept since returning from Vegas and felt all the more guilty for struggling to deal with these latest messes harder than Ridley was, how could he possibly be suffering more than her throughout this, how was that justified?

"Hey." The lieutenant stiffened as he felt Marisol's hand squeezing his right shoulder and only then became aware of her concerned stare. "Do you want to talk about it?" she queried quietly, her gentle gaze willing him to open up. "We could go for a walk on the beach, I mean...it helps me I find."

Horatio considered a refusal, it would be so easy to say no, to remain the guarded professional trying to hold things together rather than dare to be a vulnerable human being. He wanted to say no but he didn't want to ruin the eagerness in Marisol's sweet brown stare. He realised then that she looked almost as tired as he felt, that dark shadows clung to the bottom of her eyes and veins had cracked along the whites. There was a grey stain to her pallor, it hung underneath her make up, subdued but not concealed and her brown umber hair was dull under the light.

"Alright," he gave in softly.

Marisol glanced about the living room before her eyes spied the cordless phone and the notepad and pen beside it, along with the ill-placed Easter bunny. She gave the bunny an odd stare before moving to the notepad and snatching up the pen. She scribbled on it, 'gone for a walk on the beach, back soon- M' before ripping it off. She deliberated about where to leave the note for Eric to see before placing it in the centre of the coffee table. "He's a CSI, he'll find it," she said confidently.

"I'm sure he will," Horatio agreed.

The pair slipped out Horatio's back door and followed a small stone path down onto the beach. The sand was bathed white in the light of a full moon, almost vacant save for a few dog walkers and night time joggers. The sea was calm and sparkled obsidian beneath the light of the moon and the twinkle of the stars, if there were any boats out tonight neither Horatio nor Marisol could spot them.

"Two walks on the beach at night," Marisol mused as they walked, "we'll have to get one during the day lieutenant."

Horatio dipped his head slightly and was glad that the night might soften his embarrassment if not hide it entirely. He didn't know what to say so he remained silent.

"So," Marisol pried, "who's the Easter bunny from?"

Horatio gave a small grin at this. "Ridley," he confessed, "it was a birthday present."

"Is your birthday around Easter?"

"April 7th."

"That was a cute gift, are you and Ridley close?"

Horatio stiffened slightly at the question, how often had he heard that one? Suspiciously from Yelina, sardonically from Tim, curiously from Alexx, jealously from Calleigh and venomously from Detective Chris Cavaliere. Only Tim knew the entire truth of Horatio's complex relationship with Ridley Moon and it was obvious that the traces expert couldn't decide if it was good that Ridley had Horatio in her life or bad. The redhead reasoned that if he was out of her life maybe she could try and move on from her dark past, he was surely a constant reminder of it and yet he didn't want to be out of her life. Horatio loved Ridley, he loved all his team on some level or another, they were his family and he needed them more than ever with Ray and Yelina gone from him.

"Yes," he answered quietly. He thought of a more detailed answer but felt anything he said might lead to more questions.

Marisol sensed quickly that Ridley was evidently a touchy subject for Horatio. She pushed back a stray curl of hair and winced slightly when several came away between her fingertips. She flicked it away hastily as she considered what to say. "You know it's a cliché to say but things will be alright. You guys always sort these things out, it's what you do best."

Horatio shook his head. "I appreciate your faith but we're not on this one, Tim's a friend so it's not allowed." He had guessed quickly that Marisol knew all about Tim's situation, it was obvious Eric had told her.

Marisol gave him another wide smile. "You don't have to be on the case to help," she said confidently. "I know we've only spent a little time together but I know you enough to know you'll see this right."

Horatio halted and met the young woman's serious stare at last. Her confident reassuring gaze was ensnaring and her sweet smile was almost infectious. His lip twitched slightly at the corner as he almost smiled himself. 'How does she do this?' he wondered. 'Make everything seem so simple and easy and create this light out of nothing.'

Marisol took a step closer, banishing the space between them. She leaned up just a little, her face stretching closer to Horatio's. Before she could reach him his phone rang.

The pair both jumped slightly and turned away from each other, flustered as if caught out at something wrong. Horatio immediately tugged out his mobile and flipped it open. "Caine," he greeted bluntly. "Really? Ryan that's great news! Keep me posted as much as you can."

* * *

Ryan was exhausted but happy, the breakthrough had come thanks to help from Alexx and Frank. Footage had placed Holly at a night club around twelve getting extremely drunk according to witnesses. Grainy footage showed her stumbling about before being refused at drink at 12:31 and then getting removed at 12:36, after that no one was quite sure where she had gone. People mentioned her getting into a car and several witnesses agreed that it was off-white and dented with a male driving it. Most suggested he had offered Holly a lift and she had been in no state to refuse.

Now the police were out trying to narrow down what kind of car it was and where it might be now.

They were still waiting on the tox results to come back but Ryan was confident they would show a large amount of alcohol meaning Holly probably wouldn't have been in any state to fight off potential attackers. That hadn't interested him as much as the evidence he had turned up. The puncture mark Alexx had found on her leg, it was a needle mark and Ryan didn't think it had anything to do with inserting something into the girl, his theory was exertion. Bruising had suggested the needle mark was fresh and Alexx had confirmed as much though she admitted there would be little to be prove if anything had been taken from the girl as Ryan though.

Ryan had let the blood drops tell that story instead, no spatter, no violent spray as one would expect from a throat slash. The blood had been planted on the carpet and the knife meaning Holly hadn't died in Tim Speedle's house. Someone was definitely trying to frame the CSI.


	17. Chapter 16- Confronting the Past

Ridley Moon stared blankly at the hall floor. She stood frozen as if in a trance blocking the people behind her who were trying to enter the house. The ever pragmatic Tim had strode past the spot with only half a glance and a suppressed shudder. The evidence was gone but Ridley's imagination was strong enough to fill in the blanks and visualise the corpse of the teenager in her hall.

"Ridley?"

The young woman bristled slightly at Horatio's voice. She still hated him and hated herself for feeling so strongly about him. It wasn't fair but what he had done wasn't fair either. What he, Eric and Tim had all done. She had yet to confront Tim about that but his suspicions were clear and she knew it wouldn't be long before he asked. She wondered what she would do when he did- scream at him, hit him, cry, curse? What did it matter now?

"She died and we still don't know why," she murmured softly. "So much death." She shook her head sadly and walked on at last.

It had been a month now since Holly Collins' murder. She had been nineteen, three months shy of her twentieth birthday. Both Tim and Ridley had evaded the funeral knowing they weren't welcome there. Holly's parents didn't know who or what to blame, Tim was no longer a suspect but no one else was either, at least not strongly. Ryan was working the possibility of it being linked to the Donner case and Misty Cardoza and Marius Mosqueda's murders but he couldn't find any tangible evidence to link them together, at least not yet. Still, it seemed like a good theory that the framing of Tim for murder might be the work of criminals who wanted the CSI and his theories discredited. If Tim had gone down for murder his evidence about Misty being innocent might have been discredited and the case of Marius Mosqueda's murder shut. As of right now it was open and an active investigation and Tim was back on it.

Holly's body had been planted in Tim and Ridley's house, Ryan had proved that beyond doubt, once he had shown how the blood spill had been faked everything else had fallen into place. Ryan had been able to go back over Tim's statements and the house. How Tim had grumbled that he had set the alarm, no one in the police had even looked into that. Sanchez had sneered that Tim wasn't exactly Mister Reliable and pointed out that if he had set the alarm then it would have woken him. It hadn't taken Ryan much to discover someone had tampered with the electrics outside. They hadn't disabled the alarm but the power instead, only to renable it after the body dump. Ryan had spotted the minute details that showed proof of this. Whoever had done it hadn't been an amateur. Unfortunately, the only prints recovered had been partials.

Ridley started walking again until she reached the living room. She dropped her luggage in there, collapsed on the couch and clutched at her skull with both hands. A sudden violent scream followed.

Tim reached the scene first with a confused Ellie in his arms. He looked to Ridley and then to Horatio and Calleigh who had followed behind him. He thrust the now crying baby out to the blonde.

Calleigh took Ellie eagerly and immediately stepped out of the living room and away from the scene, soothing the child as she did.

Ridley had held it together until Tim had been exonerated but then the stress of Hawkes and Vegas had finally overcome her. Tim had been expecting her to be relieved like himself and had been shocked when her nightmares had worsened instead and she had spent most nights screaming and sobbing herself hoarse. He had asked for an explanation but she had failed to give one.

Just three days ago Ridley had finally succumbed to her woes and fears and returned to the Miami-Dade psychiatrist. She had not wanted to but the return of her nightmares, her shaking hands and worse, irritated bowels, sudden feelings of sickness and uncontrollable meltdowns had left her unable to do anything else. Terrified of social services intervening if they thought she was unstable given what all she and Tim had went through she had gone to the psychiatrist, one Dr. Mortez, and begged for discretion and a fix for her mental instability.

"Jesus Ridley," Tim grumbled as he occupied the seat beside her. He pulled her to him, frowning when she resisted and pushed him back half-heartedly. His sunken brown gaze looked to Horatio in despair before he spied Ridley's abandoned handbag on the floor. "Where are your tablets?" Tim knew about the shrink but frustratingly not the reason for one. He wanted to demand answers but feared them. Ridley knew about Holly's come on to him, Detective Sanchez had made damn sure everyone knew about that and Tim wondered and worried that maybe this had only added to whatever woes Ridley was concealing and become the catalyst for Ridley's breakdown. Did she fear infidelity? Could she think that of him? He doubted it but shit he didn't know because they had yet to speak about it, about any of it, about Holly and Nick and Vegas and all this recent howling in the dead of the night about Hawkes.

Horatio stepped forward, crouched down to the satchel and fumbled with the buckles before freeing the flap. It usually amused Tim to see Ridley fidget with the satchel in the same manner and he would always chide her for picking awkward fashion over practicality but right now as he watched Horatio he just felt impatience. It was another few precious seconds of Ridley screaming and shaking before Horatio finally tugged out a brown glass bottle of tablets and a half drunk bottle of water.

Horatio opened the bottle and produced two of the tablets before handing them and the now open bottle to Tim.

Tim pushed away Ridley's now sweat matted hair from her pale brow and tipped her chin up slightly so she was facing him. "Alright Ridley, here you go," he said gently. He held the tablets up to her lips and pushed them into her mouth before tilting the bottle into her mouth.

She gulped at the water before swallowing hard and let out a heavy sigh followed by two more laboured sobs.

Tim swallowed down his own sigh before handing the bottle back to Horatio and flopping back against the couch. "There we go," he murmured as he guided Ridley down to press the side of her head against his chest. It was an old ritual between them now, Ridley got scared and Tim soothed her with his heartbeats. It was difficult sometimes since she had him so scared and wound up that his heart was racing a mile a minute and it took everything in him to calm down and fake some sort of tranquillity so he in turn could calm her down. Right now he was simply too tired to give into his worry and panic for his girlfriend and so his heart pounded steady and calm.

When Ridley's sobs settled down into quieter whimpers Calleigh returned from the kitchen where she had sheltered Ellie, occupying her with a ring toy, a wolf teddy and a yoghurt. Ellie returned a little wary but calmer, a spot of yoghurt staining her cheek and the wolf teddy held up to her face with one hand as she chewed on its right ear.

Calleigh looked to her friend with immediate concern. She wanted to offer help but she didn't know what she could do. Like everyone else except Horatio she was clueless as to the cause of Ridley's descent into despair. It was easy to assume it was to do with Holly's murder and the stress of Tim's involvement but Calleigh knew Ridley better than that, Ridley had come through that and she wouldn't let it drag her back now that Tim was in the clear.

"I don't know what to do, I don't know what to do," Ridley babbled.

"About what?" Tim pried tiredly.

"About all this death," she choked out. "It always happens, I'm cursed, it's my fault, it's all my fault."

"Shit Ridley that's not true," Tim argued bluntly. "Why the hell do you think that?"

"Because Hawkes killed all those people," she confessed quietly with a shudder, "he killed them all because of me."

Tim looked at Horatio sharply, his brown stare angry and accusing.

Horatio let out a soft sigh and nodded in answer to Tim's unspoken question. "She knows he was Hawkes' son," he admitted.

"What? Who was?" Calleigh demanded. "What are you talking about?" Her suspicious green gaze looked from Horatio to Tim and then back to Horatio again.

"All those people, all those deaths," Ridley murmured, "because I had to have the monster killed." She shuddered and another sob escaped her. "It just made a worse monster! I made the monster! Oh God I did it!"

Tim pulled Ridley closer, hugging her into him with both hands. "No you didn't," he argued, "you didn't. Hawkes made his own monster, both Hawkes, he was the only one to blame for those murders."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ridley demanded as she gazed up to Tim with an accusing bloodshot stare.

"This is why," Tim answered seriously, "because I knew how you would react. I knew you would blame yourself Ridley and I couldn't have that. You don't deserve to have to carry that shit with you."

She shook her head. "If I hadn't told Justin...if he hadn't killed him..." She swallowed hard and shook her head. "It was selfish, so selfish of me, I was so scared, I needed rid of my monster and that just created another monster for people. If we had just walked away from Hawkes...what could he have done? I was grown up, he wouldn't have touched me again...I can't even say I was thinking of what he might do to someone else because I wasn't, all I thought about was me!"

"Ridley," Horatio spoke up gently as he took a step towards her, "you didn't make his son into a madman, he already had that in him. His decision to kill all those people was exactly that, his decision and his responsibility. You can try and link it in with happened between you and his father but that's just an excuse and a poor justification for those murders. None of it is your fault and you shouldn't feel that you have to answer for it."

Ridley looked to Horatio with the same half-wild stare she had been giving Tim. "Can you really be sure that all those people would have died if Hawkes hadn't? That the Suburban Legends killer would have been created if Justin hadn't shot his father?"

Horatio carefully hid his doubt from his face as he pondered Ridley's questions. Of course he couldn't be sure, no one could be sure of that. "I can be sure that he was evil and that he was evil before his father died and after. I can be sure that he would have done something regardless of his father's death yes. I can't be sure you would have ever come to be involved in it no but then I can't be sure he would have been stopped if you weren't involved Ridley."

"Ridley don't do this," Calleigh protested quietly. "You shouldn't torture yourself with doubts and what ifs. He was an evil man and you stopped him, that's all there is to it, don't torment yourself with wondering why he did what he did, please." She looked down to Ellie pointedly. "Think of Ellie, she needs her mum to be moving on with her life."

Ridley winced at this and shook her head. "It's not so easy," she said quietly, "I thought I had moved on but I didn't realise...now I'm back in the past." Her trembling worsened as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut. "I can hear the dirt coming down, I can hear him burying me, God did I deserve that? Should it have ended there?"

Tim pressed her head back against his chest and kissed her crown lightly. "No Ridley," he answered firmly. "Now listen, there's no dirt, just me, just bump, bump, remember?"

Ridley nodded wordlessly as she leaned into Tim and continued to keep her eyes shut. "He hurt me because I hurt his father."

"No," Horatio argued, "he hurt you because was a psychotic sadist. His father hurt you Ridley, don't ever say different."

She trembled again. "Yes, yes he hurt me down in the dark and no one saw, no one heard the screams. I didn't think anyone knew or ever would, did his son even know?" She swallowed hard. "Did he know that's why Justin shot him?"

"He didn't believe," Horatio confessed softly.

"No, no he wouldn't," Ridley mumbled. "Sometimes I didn't...it seemed like a nightmare. No one found me, no one else knew...even Flick, she knew but she didn't see, didn't hear...she had her own hell...It is like I made it up, no evidence, no proof, just my word..."

"Ridley don't," Tim protested sternly. "I'm begging you, don't go back there, don't do this. I'm sorry I didn't tell you who the Suburban Legends killer was but can you blame me? Look at what it's doing to you, that guy fucked you up six ways to Sunday and now you're blaming yourself because of who his dad was! I've seen your scars," he said as he brushed his right hand through her hair, "I've seen the evidence. It happened and I'm eternally sorry for that and I'm forever sorry that the Suburban Legends killer got to you too but don't you dare try to justify it for him. There is nothing that could make what he did understandable or okay."

Ridley continued to shake her head against Tim but she offered no more verbal protests as her tablets finally began to kick in.

* * *

It was just after eight in the evening when Eric finally made it to Tim and Ridley's house. Calleigh had already left but not without some choice words to her partner about how he always seemed to be late and was proving unreliable in Tim's time of need. Eric knew if Calleigh were to learn about Marisol's illness then she would go easy on him, probably apologise and offer whatever help she could but he couldn't bring himself to tell her. For one thing, Marisol didn't want anyone to know, no one else in the family even knew yet and for another, Eric worried that it might lead to a revelation of his obtaining of weed for her. Marisol was back in hospital getting more treatment and insistent that she would make her own way home. Eric wasn't so sure she'd manage that and had her promise to call him if she needed him.

Eric was granted entry to the Speedle household by a tired looking Horatio.

"Evening Eric," the redhead greeted softly.

Eric nodded. "Evening H," he answered amicably.

Eric followed Horatio into the house. He entered to find a subdued atmosphere, the television was on the living room, the volume so low it was barely audible, it was the only noise the CSI picked up on.

"How are things?" Eric asked lamely, wary of what the answer would be.

Horatio gave a bitter smile at this, unsure what to say. "Tim's out the back," he retorted quietly. "Ridley and Ellie are both in bed."

It wasn't the answer Eric had wanted and he got the implication, if he wanted answers he should ask Tim. "Okay, I'll head out and see Tim then," he murmured.

Horatio nodded and slipped back into the living room. His movements were stiff and he looked out of place. Eric realised as he watched his superior go that he was on guard duty not friend duty. 'Is he expecting a repercussion?' Eric wondered. No one really had a clue as to who had murdered Holly or why they had tried to frame Tim for it. Ryan was keeping his theory about its connection to Tim's case closely guarded. Horatio had come up with the same theory but neither CSI was willing to voice it. It could mean Tim was in serious danger from the drug cartel and Horatio didn't know if Tim and Ridley could really cope with that fear on top of everything else. Still, he couldn't ignore the possibility and leave them ignorant and vulnerable.

Eric slipped outside to a mild Miami evening. Tim was standing on the cracked grey patio tiles, back pressed up against the wall, legs slightly stretched out as he puffed at a cigarette. There was a brown glass ashtray on the windowsill to his left already littered with three butts. Eric spied it and knew Tim had given up on all pretence of his habit being gone.

Tim eyed his friend warily with a sunken brown stare and gave a vague nod by way of greeting.

Eric couldn't help but frown back. He had seen Tim looking rundown before, ever since Ellie's birth he had been raccoon man after all but this, this was different. Tim didn't just tired he looked close to delirious from exhaustion, hell he looked stressed, which was very unusual for a man normally cool and laid back. Eric was the one who flustered and raged, Tim was the quieter one, the one who distanced himself from their troubles so as not to be burdened with them.

Tim never took a job personally, he was the only one who could hold a camera without flinching and snap up photos of mutilated kids without a curse. The trick, he admitted darkly to Eric, was not actually looking. It wasn't like any of the rest of them were any less professional it was just, there was always going to be that one case that brought out their humanity, that made Eric curse more than usual, Ridley frown and fiddle with her fingers and Calleigh purse her lips and work overtime in the lab with endless bullets discussing weapons before she would discuss bodies.

The only times Eric had seen Tim get that kind of personal was with the Suburban Legends killer. Firstly, when he had murdered Ridley's roommate Ruby while Ridley was drugged in the next room. Tim had flinched to see Ridley soaked in her friend's blood and rocking back and forth on the couch muttering to herself. The second time was when the Suburban Legends killer had taken Ridley. Shit that been way too personal for Tim, he had definitely raged then. They all had and panicked and worried and thought the worst. Eric couldn't know it but things had gotten personal with the Wonderland killer as well. The guy had shot Tim and left him for dead. That Eric had known about it but what he had not known was that Tim had then gotten an itchy trigger figure and shot up a place because of strategically placed mirrors. Only Calleigh had known about that moment of panic.

"How are you?" Eric queried seriously. As he looked to his friend he wondered if he had placed too much on Tim's shoulders. He had always looked to Tim to be the cool, stoic one in their partnership but surely Tim was just as vulnerable and prone to worry and upset as he was. 'I've been too wrapped up in Marisol,' Eric realised. 'Tim's my best friend, Calleigh's right, I should be here more. Just because he's not the type to talk doesn't mean he's not hurting.'

Tim shook his head and took another deep draught on the cigarette before exhaling slowly. "Ridley knows about Hawkes," he confessed, his voice deep, tired and heavy. "She knows the Suburban Legends killer was his son."

"Shit." There was nothing else for Eric to say. He turned cold at the thought and tensed. He still thought about the madman on occasion though he would rather her didn't. Meeting Will Maguire had brought it back for Eric just as it had for Ridley. Eric had been captured and tortured by the killer, not to the extent Ridley had been, not even close, but it had been enough to cause Eric more than a few sleepless nights.

Tim nodded agreeably. "I don't know how, she hasn't told me yet," he admitted. "She only confessed to it today but I kind of suspected, she's been fucked up since Vegas. Course we couldn't talk about it not with all the shit going on here with me." He shook his head angrily before stubbing out the cigarette in the ashtray. "Something with Stokes triggered it, just like I thought it would." He pushed his right hand through his dark curls tiredly. "I can honestly say Delko I don't know what the hell to do." He dipped his head in despair.

Tim flinched when Eric pressed a hand against his right shoulder and gave it a consoling squeeze. "You don't know to figure it out alone," Eric commented quietly. "I'll help you, we all will. You have been through a lot, too much and it's okay to just...well to let it out."

Tim gave Eric an odd look at this and Eric could see the walls going back as the stoic, calm Tim slipped back into place.

Eric had been spending enough days trying to urge Marisol to do the same thing, to unleash her grief and anger and pain so she could let go of it. He had been trying to get her to open up more too, to tell others what was going on with her but that was to no avail.

"Tim," Eric continued, voice still low and serious, "it's alright to be the upset one sometimes."

Tim turned away from his friend moodily. "Shit Delko," he grumbled, voice tight and close to breaking, "don't...Ridley's in pieces, it's no good if I am too."

"It's no good if you keep it all in either and then it just comes exploding out one day," Eric countered. "Ridley's human and so are you, and it's not going to pieces, it's finding a release for well...for everything you're feeling."

"Everything I'm feeling." Another shake of the head. "Rage because I couldn't stop that fuck, I knew he was targeting Ridley, shit I knew and...my gun wasn't clean! Jesus Delko my gun wasn't clean and she couldn't shoot him!" Over and over he shook his head. "Jesus Christ it was all my fault, I gave her that gun and what for? She's always been a good shot she would have got him, I know she would have. Shit, shit he got her, all those things...I don't even know...she never talks about it, never has...I got it all from the hospital reports and the screams in her sleep... Fuck I let her down but she couldn't hate me, couldn't even get mad? Why? Because she was defeated, broken, she didn't have the strength to get mad and then it all faded away I guess...never forgotten but she just didn't get mad..."

Tim paused and looked moodily to the ground. "I wanted her to get mad, I wanted her to curse at me, to yell and hate me. Even though I wanted her to like me too at least if she hated me then there would be closure. Instead I got to feel guilty, even when she forgave me... It's like my failure was no surprise, like she was forgiving me because it was something I couldn't have prevented but damn it I could have!"

Eric's eyes widened in surprise as he realised what Tim was driving at. That Ridley had forgiven Tim because she believed he couldn't have prevented what had happened with the Suburban Legends killer but that Tim couldn't forgive himself because he felt it had been preventable.

"Tim you can't keep carrying that guilt around with you," Eric murmured. "He was determined to get Ridley, she's right, you couldn't have prevented it."

"And Will?" Tim queried savagely. "Could I not prevent him confronting her on the beach like that?" He swallowed hard. "All those memories he brought back, Jesus Eric he was there that night, he's the one who raped Ruby... He was with Ridley too, he talked about it but she...she wouldn't get tested...shit she didn't want to know, I didn't want to know, fuck I still don't... He floored me like it was nothing, you saw, he had me pinned. What if he shows up again? What if he comes here? How do I protect Ridley? Fuck he might have assaulted her and I can't do shit! I can't hurt him!"

"Tim don't do this," Eric begged. "You can protect Ridley, you have always protected Ridley."

"No, she was taken from my house Delko, you remember, she was taken when my gun failed her and at the beach, right in front of her and Ellie that son of a bitch put me down in the ground like it was nothing. And Holly, shit, I couldn't help her either, could I? She died because of me."

"You don't know that," Eric argued.

"I do Delko, they planted her in my house, made it look like I'd done it which means it was me they were out to get. I don't know who for sure but I'm damn certain it's linked to the Donner case. If Holly hadn't known me she would still be alive, if I hadn't...damn I chased her away, let her go, distraught, upset, probably easy pickings for whoever it was." Tim muttered a curse. "I should have taken her home, I usually take her home, why didn't I?"

Eric was shocked to see a shimmer in Tim's eyes that indicated tears, he wasn't crying, not yet but Eric wondered how far away he was from it. From the outburst Eric had pushed for, the release of grief and anger that Eric thought might help his friend. 'I didn't realise how bad it was,' Eric thought numbly, 'how much he's been carrying inside? It's been years since the Suburban case, how can he still carry all this guilt?'

"Tim, Ridley chose to date you after the Suburban Legends case, she knew you didn't clean your gun, you told her that and she still chose to be with you. She has a kid with you. How can you still carry all this guilt over it? You keep saying you don't want her to keep getting dragged back down by it but you're just the same, you need to forgive yourself and move on. It's not your fault Tim, only Hawkes is to be blame."

Tim cracked a bitter smile at this, hadn't he been saying the exact same thing to Ridley mere hours ago? He realised Eric was right, he was urging Ridley to stop self-hating and living in the past and wasn't he doing the exact same thing? He sighed heavily and then the tears came much to his humiliation. He turned away from his friend immediately and fumbled for another cigarette.

Eric allowed his friend his moment of pretence, knowing he was trying hard to hide the fact that he was crying by smoking instead. He pressed his hand back on Tim's shoulder again. "It will be okay Tim," he assured.


End file.
